HCA Picks Up Two Hospitals In Kansas City Area

Carondelet Health has come to terms to sell two Kansas City-area hospitals and a variety of allied healthcare businesses to an affiliate of HCA Healthcare.

The facilities, 310-bed St. Joseph Medical Center in Kansas City and 146-bed St. Mary's Medical Center Blue Springs, Mo., 20 miles to the southeast. The not-for-profit facilities will be transferred to the for-profit HCA Healthcare Midwest for an undisclosed sum.
Also included in the purchase is Carondelet Home Care, Carondelet Cardiology Services, Carondelet Health Resources, Carondelet Medical Enterprises, Carondelet Occupational Health, Wellness and Education Services, Carondelet Health Pharmacy, Carondelet Physicians Services, South Kansas City Surgery Center and St. Mary’s Surgical Center.   

The deal is expected to be closed by the end of the year, pending regulatory approvals.

The transaction will boost the holdings of the Midwest affiliate of Nashville-based HCA to 12 hospitals, of which 10 will be in the Kansas City area.
Carondelet is a ministerial affiliate of St. Louis-based Ascension Health, the nation's largest operator of Catholic hospitals. HCA officials said they intend to preserve the religious heritage of the two facilities.

“HCA Midwest Health System intends for Carondelet Health to continue operating in accordance with the ethical and religious directives for Catholic healthcare services,” said Fleury Yelvington, Carondelet's chief executive officer.

Ascension said it would continue to operate the charitable foundations affiliated with both hospitals.