The Impact of Private Equity on Hospital Services

Democracy Dies in Darkness

Private equity’s acquisition of hospitals may generate substantial returns for investors. However, this trend has jeopardized the safety of patients, communities, and healthcare providers.

Authored by Heather Prendergast, The Hill

The Hill is a publication known for its impartial coverage of government operations and the intersection of politics and business.

Having spent over two decades working in emergency departments throughout Chicago, I have witnessed the consequences when a vital hospital shuts down in a community relying on its services.

In such situations, ambulances must travel further. Emergency rooms quickly become overcrowded. Patients often reach in more critical conditions as the immediate care they needed was unavailable.

It was unexpected to observe this trend occurring not because of a community’s inability to sustain a hospital. Instead, it results from the perception that a hospital’s assets might yield greater profits if extracted rather than when it is operational.