Dive Brief:
- Tenet, a major U.S. health system, has agreed to sell five hospitals in the Miami-Dade area for $1.1 billion to Steward Health Care System, a physician-owned hospital operator and health network.
- The deal also includes the hospitals' associated physician practices. Dallas-based Steward has agreed to continue using Tenet's revenue cycle management firm, Conifer Health Solutions, following the completion of the deal, which is expected to close in the third quarter.
- Further underscoring Tenet's strategic focus, the sale will not include Tenet's ambulatory surgery centers in Florida. Tenet will hold onto those assets as its ambulatory business becomes a bigger focus for the legacy hospital operator.
Dive Insight:
Dallas-based Tenet continues to bet on its ambulatory surgery business.
It's noteworthy that this latest billion-dollar sale does not include any of its surgery centers in Florida, but half of its hospitals. Jefferies analyst Brian Tanquilut said the ambulatory segment now becomes even more important as it will contribute a majority of consolidated earnings in the near term.
That's a significant leap from 2014 when earnings from the ambulatory unit represented about 4% of the company's earnings.
The money generated from the sale could also pay for more ASCs, under Tenet's unit, United Surgical Partners International (USPI), further bulking up Tenet's ASC portfolio that already outnumbers its competitors.
Tenet is traditionally viewed as a hospital operator, even though its surgery center footprint dwarfs its hospital portfolio. Tenet operates 310 ASCs following a $1.1 billion deal in December to acquire 45 centers from SurgCenter Development. Tenet said Wednesday it operates 65 hospitals.
Of Tenet's 10 Florida hospitals, Steward will buy up half, including Coral Gables Hospital, Florida Medical Center, Hialeah Hospital, North Shore Medical Center and Palmetto General Hospital.
Tanquilut said that leaves Tenet in control of its "core" south Florida business in the Boca and Palm Beach market, located about 75 miles north of the Miami area where Tenet is selling its hospitals.
During the volatile year of 2020, Tenet was able to post a profit of $399 million for the full year, which includes provider relief funding. As recovery continues, Tenet posted a profit of $97 million during the first quarter, which also includes federal relief due to the pandemic.