Chicago-area hospitals jockey for position

The nation could see a year of accelerated hospital mergers, partnerships and expansions as the medical services industry braces for the coming health care overhaul, which could bring in tens of millions of new patients.

Hospitals and health facilities nationwide cumulatively are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on buildings, marketing and new partnerships to position themselves in the wake of the new law. It likely will add up to better patient care experience as hospitals enter an era of attracting new customers who will hold unprecedented new buying power, analysts say.