Hopes were still alive for a merger with Tenet Healthcare when the board of directors at Eastern Connecticut Health Network convened its regular monthly meeting at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 4. Twenty-four minutes later, in mid-meeting, CEO Peter J. Karl took a phone call from Trip Pilgrim at the Texas-based hospital chain. The deal was off. After years of effort, Tenet was done trying to negotiate with the state for acceptable conditions to take over five hospitals, including ECHN's Rockville General and Manchester Memorial. Instantly, Karl and the rest of the ECHN board turned to their backup plan. Before 10 a.m., Karl had his marching orders: Send formal requests for proposals for a merger or partnership to four large, in-state, not-for-profit hospital systems.
