After 121 Hospital Sales Over 6 Years, CHS Doubles Down On ASC, Outpatient Growth

Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems has sold 121 hospitals over the last six years and is nearing the end of a multiyear divestiture plan, and at the same time, the system has invested heavily into the outpatient space, the Nashville Post reported Feb. 19.

Over the same time period, CHS has spent nearly $440 million in developing three ASCs and three freestanding outpatient-based emergency departments, with more in the pipeline.

 “The system pivoted to the outpatient space because the centers are less capital-intensive,” said  Community Health Systems CEO Tim Hingtgen. “We continue our emphasis on the development of service lines, thereby further increasing our acuity levels on the inpatient side. And our investments on the outpatient side are designed to expand entry points into our networks, providing more convenient out-of-hospital care environments that satisfy evolving consumer expectations about the availability and accessibility of healthcare services.”

CHS still operates 85 hospitals in 16 states.

 

Source: Becker’s ASC Review

Colorado Health System Building $150M Orthopedic-Focused Hospital With ASC, Medical Office Building

Colorado Springs, Colo.-based Penrose-St. Francis Health Services plans to build a 72-bed orthopedic and spine hospital on a 57.8-acre parcel of land in Colorado Springs, The Colorado Springs Business Journal reported on Feb. 18.

The health system will pay $150 million to develop the hospital, which will also have an ASC and medical office building. The development will also have a retail portion.

The hospital will have 10 operating rooms and a 12-bed emergency department. Penrose-St. Francis anticipates opening the facility in 2023.

After it opens, the system will redirect some orthopedic and spine cases to the new facility.

 

Source: Becker’s ASC Review

Medical Office Building Construction Remains Strong In Starts And Completions

Although many healthcare real estate (HRE) professionals correctly predicted that medical office building (MOB) sales would remain strong during the COVID-19 pandemic, they did express some concern that construction numbers would fall as providers would be forced to focus on myriad other concerns than moving into new buildings.

But that hasn’t been the case so far.

“Medical office construction has remained very strong throughout COVID, both in terms of starts and completions,” said Hilda Flower Martin, a principal with the HRE research and data firm, during a Jan. 26 Revista webcast. “Completions slowed a little bit towards the end of the year (2020), but starts remain pretty much in line (with past years), as there was about 20.9 million square feet of MOB space started as of the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2020 on a trailing 12-month basis (TTM). The MOB projects being built are typically well pre-leased and continue to get larger.”

 

Source: HREI