Three community hospitals in northern Lower Michigan have joined larger health systems in the last couple years, in Petoskey, Ludington and Cheboygan. Munson Healthcare seriously considered doing so a few years back. Most recently, an out-of-state for profit has started running three hospitals in the Upper Peninsula.
Julie Edgar took a look at the trend for Bridge Magazine. In a series of articles, published today, she looks at the reasons Michigan’s small, community-run hospitals are looking to the bigger players, and she examines some of the differences between for-profit and not-for-profit systems.
Edgar says Michigan is a little late to the game of hospital consolidation, something that’s been happening across the U.S. since the 1990s. National research shows trends in rising healthcare prices and priority shifts when small hospitals consolidate with big players.
You can also find a list of recent Michigan hospital aquisitions here.