Community Health Systems is selling its last two hospitals in Washington state to help pay down $15 billion in debt.
Sunnyside Community Hospital & Clinics has agreed to pay CHS $45 million, including working capital, for 214-bed Yakima (Wash.) Regional Medical & Cardiac Center and 63-bed Toppenish (Wash.) Community Hospital.
Last month, struggling CHS agreed to sell its larger two-hospital system in Spokane, Wash., to MultiCare Health System for $425 million. The Rockwood Health System includes 388-bed Deaconess Hospital in Spokane, 123-bed Valley Hospital in Spokane Valley and the multispecialty Rockwood Clinic.
The Spokane and Yakima hospitals were about three hours apart, making the pair a small hub in the state that CHS felt it could afford to sell.
Franklin, Tenn.-based CHS has found buyers for eight of the 17 hospitals that it is selling.
Negotiations are underway for the sale of the other nine hospitals.
