Facing stiff resistance from the Federal Trade Commission, the Vatican and community leaders, Mercy Health has abandoned its efforts to sell its hospital in Hot Springs, Ark., to a for-profit health system. The announcement, issued Thursday by Chesterfield-based Mercy Health and Franklin, Tenn.-based Capella Health Care Inc., comes after a lengthy FTC investigation and several months of talks with Catholic officials. Mercy's planned sale, which was subject to approvals by the FTC and the Vatican, became caught in a crucible of health care politics, antitrust law and religious doctrine.
