Conference organizers and the San Francisco Police Department ramped up security in the wake of the December shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The SFPD said in a statement that it had canceled some officers' time off "to ensure that sufficient officers are on hand throughout the conference" and that the entirety of the four-day event will be "fully staffed."
At a news conference where lawmakers said they were fuming, there came assurances that Crozer Chester Medical Center would remain open while its parent company, in seeking a Chapter 11 reorganization, searches for a buyer.
Orlando Health closed the South Seminole Hospital in Longwood on Saturday, which is being replaced with a new hospital in Lake Mary. South Seminole Hospital has been operating for four decades. The team moved about 60 patients from the Longwood location to Lake Mary on Saturday morning. The new hospital spans more than 450,000 square feet, significantly larger than the old one, which was less than half that size.
Pauls Valley's hospital is closing down nearly four years after it reopened amid reported financial challenges. Valley Community Hospital is closing its doors this week after an announcement from its owner and CEO, Madhukar Sharma, according to the Pauls Valley Democrat. Sharma told the Democrat monthly shortfalls well into the six-figure range fueled his decision to close the facility.
Healthcare industry leaders gathering in San Francisco for an annual conference typically discuss dealmaking, bestselling drugs and how to entice their next big investor. This year another topic is foremost on their minds: Staying safe.
"This is one of the industry's marquee events, so it naturally attracts not just investors and executives, but also opportunistic criminals and organized protest groups," said Brian Stephens, senior managing director of consulting firm Teneo's risk advisory arm and former security executive at Bank of America, who is advising conference attendees. "The conference effectively becomes a citywide affair—that fluidity is great for spontaneous meetings but complicates security measures."
Brent Saunders, chief executive of Bausch & Lomb, will do business as usual at the conference. He always travels with security at the conference and says he has dealt with credible threats for years.
Now, however, Saunders will change some of his behavior. In the past, he would walk a few blocks to his hotel from the conference venue, the Westin St. Francis, at the end of each conference day. His security will likely discourage that, preferring to travel by car, no matter the distance.
"This year I don't think they'd let me walk back," he said. "You're paying for those guys to be there. Let them do their job."
The conference, held in San Francisco's Union Square, is among the premier events in healthcare each year, drawing some 20,000 industry professionals to the city, including many executives.
More than 500 companies, ranging from drugmakers such as Pfizer and wholesalers such as Cencora to dozens of biotechnology companies, are scheduled to give presentations to investors. Scores of parallel events and panels will be held at nearby locations.
Hartford-based Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center has reached a settlement in a lawsuit it filed two years ago against Hartford HealthCare, alleging the larger health system engaged in anticompetitive behavior, according to a filing in federal court. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed in the filing.