Alleged misdeeds haunt CA hospital chain poised to buy NJ hospitals

The meetings in January were set up to calm anxious nerves. A representative from Prime Healthcare Services sat down with legislators and community activists who worried over its pending acquisition of two hospitals, Saint Michael's in Newark and Saint Mary's in Passaic. But instead of cool and calm, the meetings left many frayed and frantic. Legislators wrote the state?s attorney general begging him to take a close look at Prime's "checkered history." Hospital advocates asked state Health Commissioner Mary O'Dowd to look into Prime's "questionable practices that may affect quality of patient care." The union representing interns and residents at Saint Michael's started a petition expressing their concern over Prime's acquisition. Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver said Prime's business model is "very concerning," and is imploring the Christie administration to reject Prime's application.