Hospital mergers and closures: These are Chief Healthcare Executive’s most popular stories of 2024

While many hospitals are faring better than they did a few years ago, the industry continued to see considerable financial pressures in 2024.

Some health systems are looking to unload some of their hospitals to get on better footing, and some hospitals in shaky situations are looking for partners to help them stay afloat.

And some hospitals struggled to keep the doors open, with some closing for good.

Here’s a look at the five stories on Chief Healthcare Executive® that garnered the biggest readership in 2024.

1. Three Pennsylvania hospitals to be sold

Community Health Services, Inc. has been reducing the size of its footprint in recent years, and it took another step in that direction by striking a deal to sell three hospitals in Pennsylvania.

In the deal, WoodBridge Healthcare Inc., a local nonprofit organization, planned to acquire Commonwealth Health from CHS, the for-profit system based in Tennessee. WoodBridge aimed to buy Wilkes-Barre General Hospital in Wilkes-Barre, a 369-bed facility; Regional Hospital of Scranton, a 186-bed facility; and Moses Taylor Hospital in Scranton, with 122 beds.

Local officials said they were encouraged by the prospect of new ownership for the hospital. U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr., D-Pa., has criticized CHS’ management of the facilities and has been pushing CHS to find a buyer for the three hospitals.

Ultimately, the deal didn’t come together. (Keep reading for more on this story.)

2. Wisconsin hospitals close their doors

Two hospitals in western Wisconsin that have served their communities since the late 1800s closed their doors early this year.

Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire and St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chippewa Falls both closed in March. The Hospital Sisters Health System, which had operated the two hospitals, announced plans to close the facilities in January. HSHS cited considerable financial challenges in running the facilities.

Wisconsin officials and residents expressed deep disappointment in the closure of the facilities. More than 1,400 lost their jobs.

Now, there are new efforts to open new hospitals in the region. A local group, the Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative, aims to reopen St. Joseph’s as a temporary location for acute care services while the group aims to build a new hospital. Meanwhile, Aspirus Health, a system based in Wisconsin, has said it plans to build a new hospital in the region.

3. Two Ohio hospitals are slated to close their doors

The financial collapse of Steward Health Care has affected hospitals and communities across the country, and that was seen visibly in Ohio.

Steward announced plans to close two hospitals in Ohio: Trumbull Regional Medical Center and Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital, both based in Warren, Ohio. Steward filed for bankruptcy in the spring and struck deals to sell its hospitals.

The planned closure of the hospitals in Ohio stirred outrage, with local residents pleading for officials to intervene.

But a new owner came in to preserve the facilities. Insight Health System, based in Michigan, secured an agreement to take over Trumbull Regional and Hillside, ensuring the hospitals would remain open.

4. Sale of two California hospitals is finalized

Adventist Health struck a $550 million deal to purchase two California hospitals from Tenet Healthcare Corp.

In the deal, Adventist Health has acquired two hospitals on California’s central coast: Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center and Twin Cities Community Hospital. The hospitals are based in San Luis Obispo County.

Tenet, the for-profit system, sold other hospitals in California this year. With the sale of the facilities to Adventist Health, Tenet finalized the sale of six California hospitals in a short span. Tenet sold four hospitals in Orange County to UCI Health.

5. Deal to sell three Pennsylvania hospitals collapses

Clearly, there was a good deal of interest in CHS’ plan to sell its three Pennsylvania hospitals. The story about the collapse of the deal was also among the most read stories of 2024.

In a statement posted on its website, WoodBridge HealthCare said it couldn't put together the financing to buy the hospitals. Joshua Nemzoff, chairman of the board of directors of WoodBridge Healthcare, Inc., said the organization thought it could put a deal together.

"The entire WoodBridge team is extremely disappointed in this outcome," Nemzoff said in a statement. "We very much looked forward to being part of the Scranton and Wilkes-Barre communities and partnering with the Commonwealth Health staff and physicians on providing the best healthcare in the region."

Nemzoff thanked CHS for working with WoodBridge to try and make the deal work.

“CHS has gone out of its way to help get this deal done including significant concessions on their part. We appreciate all their efforts to do so,” Nemzoff said.