TENET: Commitment To Charity Smooths Queen Of Angels Purchase
Tenet Healthcare Corp. announced Friday that it has finalized its purchase of Queen of Angels-Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center. The purchase was secured after Tenet agreed to several measures urged by religious officials and consumer advocates. Specifically, Tenet will adopt Queen of Angels' current charity care policies in perpetuity by spending at least $15 million per year; guarantee that emergency medical, obstetric, pastoral and neonatal services will not be reduced or closed for at least six years; double emergency services for the indigent; and honor the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, as promulgated by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops for patient care. Net proceeds from the sale will go to form an independent nonprofit foundation that will work to meet the health care needs of the Greater Hollywood area (Tenet release, 6/12). Tenet also agreed to "build a new $4 million emergency room at the hospital" (Santa Barbara News-Press, 6/15). Additionally, the new owner agreed to conduct an annual survey of community health care needs in the surrounding communities and tailor the hospital's services to meet those needs (Tenet release, 6/12).
A Bad Match?
The sale of Queen of Angels to Tenet, the nation's second-largest for-profit hospital chain, produced a considerable amount of controversy earlier this year (see past CHL coverage). Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, consumer advocates and union officials "feared [Tenet] would not honor Queen's long-standing charitable mission," the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday (6/13).