Boston-based Partners HealthCare has abandoned plans to acquire South Shore Hospital, South Weymouth, Mass., in light of a court ruling spiking its deal with state regulators to address antitrust concerns. Partners also will hold off on acquiring two other suburban hospitals covered in that agreement.
Partners revealed the change of plans in a document filed last week in state court. The state will continue to evaluate Partners' proposed acquisition of Hallmark Health System, which operates hospitals in the Boston suburbs of Medford and Melrose, according to the court filing.
“We have listened and heard the public concerns, and in conjunction with the leadership at SSH, we have decided that the best approach is not to proceed with our plan to bring SSH into Partners,” Partners CEO Dr. Gary Gottlieb said in a letter to colleagues.
Partners and the leadership of Hallmark also “agree that it is time to take a pause as we reflect on next steps. We will continue our conversations about how best to work together in the future,” Gottlieb said.
South Shore CEO Richard Aubut said the organization's board of trustees decided to abandon the deal after careful consideration. “The prospect of costly and prolonged litigation to advance the merger would not be in the best interests of our patients, our providers, our colleagues and our community,” Aubut said in a written statement.
