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Background

After weeks declining to address rumors of a sale, the Wyoming Valley Health Care System issued a press release Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2008, saying it had signed a letter of intent to sell the system to a subsidiary of Community Health Systems Inc., headquartered in Franklin, Tenn.

The firm is well respected in the industry and is run by experienced managers who have a record of investing in newly acquired hospitals.

Primary Author

Ron Bartizek
rbartizek@timesleader.com

Wyoming Valley Health Care System sale

Latest Headlines

July 26, 2009

General Hospital RNs hold downtown rally

WILKES-BARRE – Some carried signs saying, “ER Nurses your first line of defense.” Some wore signs reading, “Tell CHS: Patients before profits” or “Help nurses – Advocates for patients.”

July 23, 2009

Nurses will hold rally on Square

WILKES-BARRE – As the dialogue continues, a third voice is being asked to speak up in support of unionized nurses negotiating a contract with the new owner of Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.

July 1, 2009

W-B General nurses: Proposals ‘unreasonable’

WILKES-BARRE – Unionized nurses at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital called management’s proposals for key contract issues “unreasonable” but said they would stand together to hold on to what they bargained for in the past.

May 10, 2009

Health gap in hospitals may close

Within the span of eight days in July 2006 the area’s two major hospitals embarked on separate courses to change the face of local health care.

May 5, 2009

Health system sale pads tax rolls

The buyer of the formerly nonprofit Wyoming Valley Health Care System must start paying property taxes on all 92 properties that were part of last week’s sale, guaranteeing municipalities and school districts hundreds of thousands of dollars in new revenue.

May 2, 2009

New CEO comes with hospital sale

WILKES-BARRE – The sale Friday of the Wyoming Valley Health Care System will bring changes big, small and immediate, like the appointment of a new chief executive officer.

May 1, 2009

Hospital group gets new CEO

Along with new owners, Wyoming Valley Health Care System announced today that Cornelio R. Catena has been appointed chief executive officer, replacing Dr. William Host, who has previously announced his retirement.

April 25, 2009

WVHCS buyer sees profits

Community Health Systems, Inc. announced Friday that net operating revenues for the three months ended March 31 totaled $2.9 billion, a 7.6 percent increase compared with $2.7 billion for the same period in 2008.

April 8, 2009

Judge approves sale of WVHCS

WILKES-BARRE – A Luzerne County judge on Tuesday granted approval for the sale of the Wyoming Valley Health Care System to a subsidiary of a for-profit Tennessee-based hospital operator.

April 3, 2009

WVHCS sale to Tenn. firm moves ahead

The proposed sale of Wyoming Valley Health Care System to a Franklin, Tenn.-based for-profit company took a large step forward Thursday.

March 25, 2009

WVHCS buyer faces unfair labor charges

WILKES-BARRE – A union representing workers at two Spokane, Wash., hospitals owned by the company negotiating to purchase Wyoming Valley Health Care System has filed unfair labor practice charges against the business, Community Health Systems Inc.

March 24, 2009

WVHCS sale hearing postponed

WILKES-BARRE -- This afternoon's proposed hearing in the Luzerne County Orphan's Court regarding the proposed sale of the non-profit Wyoming Valley Health Care System to the for-profit Community Health Systems, Inc. has been delayed two weeks.

March 7, 2009

WVHCS doctor favors for-profit status

Dr. David Greenwald was born at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital and has spent the past 39 years working there. Until a year ago he believed that when he died the hospital would still be a community based, non-profit facility. Now he hopes he’s wrong.

March 5, 2009

WVHCS officials: Sale offers best prognosis for system

EDWARDSVILLE – John Newman, 65, of Dallas, underwent quadruple bypass surgery at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital in 2007. He said the care he received was top-notch, and the experience led him to testify Wednesday at a hearing that is part of the process of selling the hospital and the rest of the Wyoming Valley Health Care System.

March 4, 2009

Hearing addresses proposed WVHCS sale

EDWARDSVILLE – Before Wyoming Valley Health Care System officials agreed to sell to a for-profit health care system, it entertained other options including merging with other health systems. After ruling out merging with Williamsport-based Susquehanna Health and Scranton-based Community Medical Center, both non-profits like WVHCS, the board turned to the for-profit Community Health Systems, Inc.

March 3, 2009

WVHCS deal to get public airing

Under the terms of a court petition filed last month, a for-profit Tennessee-based health system would commit $135 million in capital improvements within the Wyoming Valley Health Care System over seven years if it is able to acquire the region’s largest health care organization.

January 15, 2009

WVHCS makes layoffs, curbs internal building

WILKES-BARRE – Holding out as long as it could, Wyoming Valley Health Care System Wednesday announced a limited number of layoffs and curtailed internal construction projects until the economy improves.

November 16, 2008

Hospital deal ‘on track’

WILKES-BARRE – While not much has been said in the three months since the announced deal to sell Wyoming Valley Health Care System, its president has been hearing all sorts of talk.

August 23, 2008

Past hospital sales still helping other areas

The sale of non-profit hospitals in Berwick and Wilson to the same for-profit corporation that’s negotiating to purchase the Wyoming Valley Health Care System has had positive effects, say officials in the two communities.