Source: al.com: June 25th it was announced UAB (University Of Alabama At Birmingham) Health System will acquire 5 Ascension St. Vincent’s hospitals in north central Alabama in fall 2024 for an estimated $450 million dollars.
The facilities include: Ascension St. Vincent’s Hospital in downtown Birmingham, along with St. Vincent’s East, St. Vincent’s St. Clair, St. Vincent’s Blount and St. Vincent’s Chilton. Also included: physician offices, a freestanding emergency department in Trussville, the One Nineteen campus and imaging centers.
“UAB is hopeful that most – if not all – of Ascension St. Vincent’s roughly 5,000 caregivers and associates will remain in their roles,” said UAB spokesperson Alicia Rohan.
Rohan said UAB Health System plans to operate the hospitals without any changes and has no plans to eliminate or consolidate services.
This comes 1 month following a cyberattack on Ascension that operates in 19 US states with 140 hospitals, 160000+ associates & 36000+ affiliated providers.
In this video I share my outlook and some possible samples as to what people & the healthcare seeking public in Birmingham have to look forward to from this new partnership. This is My experience as a patient trying to access service in 3 UAB facilities:
- Hear my recorded telephone call where to see a primary care physician (family doctor) in a Leeds, AL. Satellite in 2023 I was quoted a 8 month waiting list.
- I also describe standing 5 hours in their hospital Emergency Department in 2019 and never being admitted, I was triaged and had a broken skull head trauma where 6 inches diameter infection showed up in an MRI around a month later. By 2 am I couldn't stand any longer and was so fatigued I had to leave and go home.
- Finally, I was referred to a UAB neurologist in 2019 where I waited 3 months on a list only to be called on month 3 and told my appointment was cancelled.
My analysis is there are more questions than answers provided in this announcement. There may be behind the scenes factors involved that have not been made public as to their motive in selling. One possibilty is Ascension was ordered to sell their assets and leave Alabama. If my experience as a patient is any indication there are many service related claims against the hospital. The timing on the announcement is suspicious: June 25th is a week before the 4th of July holiday, making this a news story that people potentially will forget about by the time July 8th rolls around and everyone returns to work.
The health care market in Central Alabama is a pure growth concern, demand is only increasing as are profits across the board. Ascension St. Vincent's enjoys a majority share of business as a health provider in Central / Eastern Jefferson County at the time of the sale.
#uab #ascension #emtala #phantombilling #birminghamradiologicalgroup #vulcanimagingassociates
Comments