Tenet Healthcare won’t be buying any hospitals in Connecticut. The Texas-based group announced Wednesday that it has ended its talks with Governor Dannel Malloy’s office.
Tenet has been attempting for the past two years to complete several deals in Connecticut, including partnering with Waterbury Hospital and St. Mary’s in Waterbury. But late last year, the state’s Office of Healthcare Access imposed conditions that the company said were unacceptable, and it dropped plans for any purchases in Connecticut.
Legislative leaders and Malloy’s office began talks with Tenet to try to revive the deals, but now it appears those have failed.
Malloy said in a statement that “the environment for both providers and state government is complex and rapidly changing. Unfortunately, the issues that separated us simply could not be overcome. We will continue to work with the hospitals, the affected communities, and our colleagues in the legislature to come up with smart, creative solutions that will preserve local access to care for all patients.”
In the same statement, Trevor Fetter, president and chief executive officer of Tenet Healthcare Corporation, said, “while Tenet is disappointed with the outcome, we wish the hospitals, local community leaders and Governor Malloy the very best in their effort to build a sustainable future for these and other hospitals in the State of Connecticut.”
The Office of Healthcare Access had originally stipulated that Tenet could not change the employment levels or the services offered at either of the Waterbury hospitals for five years after the completion of the deal.