Allegiance Buys 3 LifePoint Hospitals

The Shreveport-based hospital chain expands its footprint in Louisiana with the acquisition of hospitals in Ville Platte, Eunice and Minden.

Privately held Allegiance Health Management is buying three hospitals in Louisiana from Tennessee-based LifePoint Health.

The transaction is expected to be finalized in the coming months, after regulatory review. Financial terms were not disclosed.

"We are delighted to move forward adding these hospitals to the AHM system and further demonstrate our commitment to this region," said Allegiance CEO Rock Bordelon.

"These facilities are each outstanding in their own right, and we have been incredibly impressed by their commitment to and success enhancing quality and patient safety," Bordelon said. "We look forward to working with their teams to improve healthcare delivery across this region."

The hospitals are:

• Mercy Regional Medical Center, a 109-bed, two campus hospital in Ville Platte;
   
• Acadian Medical Center, the second campus of Mercy Regional, in Eunice;
   
• Minden Medical Center, a 161-bed acute care hospital in Minden.

When the sale is completed, Brentwood, TN-based LifePoint will have only one hospital remaining in Louisiana: Teche Regional Medical Center in Morgan City.

"Regional collaboration and the creation of strong regional networks have never been more important," said Scott Smith, CEO for LifePoint's Louisiana hospitals.

"As part of AHM, we have an opportunity for Mercy Regional Medical Center, Acadian Medical Center and Minden Medical Center to join a growing regional system and build additional local networks to serve patients."

This week's deal is the fourth Louisiana hospital acquisition for Allegiance this year. Last month, Allegiance acquired Byrd Regional Hospital, a 60-bed hospital in Leesville, from Community Health Systems.

Shreveport-based Allegiance operates 13 hospitals in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas. When these most-recent acquisitions are completed, Allegiance will operate nine hospitals in Louisiana.

Allegiance said no layoffs are planned with the acquisitions.