HCA Signs Letter of Intent to Buy Miami's Mercy Hospital

The board of directors at Mercy Hospital in Miami has voted to sell the 473-bed acute-care facility to Hospital Corporation of America. Financial terms for the sale of Miami-Dade County's only Catholic hospital were not disclosed.

"This is a wonderful opportunity to allow Mercy to be part of a larger presence in South Florida, while the mission of service to our patients continues," said Manuel P. Anton, III, MD, president/CEO of Mercy Hospital, in a joint statement today with HCA announcing the sale.

"Although Mercy now will be part of HCA, it will continue to operate in a manner consistent with the designation as a Catholic hospital, such that the Archbishop of Miami will be able to endorse it as a Catholic Hospital, adhering to the principles of faith with which it has served the community since its founding. Our top priority as always is the care of patients. This will be a seamless process for patients, their families, our associates and physicians." Anton said.

Mercy Hospital has served the Miami and Coral Gables area for nearly 60 years.

Michael G. Joseph, HCA East Florida Division President, said the acquisition of Mercy Hospital would complement the hospital chain's existing presence in South Florida. "With facilities in Aventura and Kendall, the addition of Mercy in Miami creates a corridor of care that enables us to better serve the community," Joseph said. "We have long admired Mercy's proud history of quality, compassionate care, and look forward to welcoming it into the HCA network of hospitals."

Mercy Hospital will retain its name and will continue to serve as a Catholic acute care hospital, owned and operated by HCA. The deal is expected to close as soon as possible.

Nashville-based HCA operates more than 160 hospitals, including 12 hospitals in its East Florida Division, and more than 100 surgery centers in 20 states and the United Kingdom. Established in 1950, Mercy is staffed by more than 700 physicians representing 27 medical specialties. Its Centers of Excellence include: The Heart Center at Mercy Hospital, the Miami Cancer Center at Mercy Hospital, the Orthopedic Institute at Mercy Hospital, and the Minimally Invasive Surgical Institute at Mercy Hospital.