Business
Hospital chain recruits physicians
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Feb. 27, 2006
LifePoint Hospitals Inc. says it will recruit physicians this year in an effort to help its hospitals.
The Brentwood, Tenn.-based operator of hospitals, most in rural areas, said in a regulatory filing that it would spend $35.2 million to recruit approximately 183 new admitting physicians during 2006.
The filing said company managers believe that recruiting specialists will help LifePoint hospitals increase volume by enabling them to offer new services.
The disclosure came the day after LifePoint reported a drop in its annual earnings. The company posted net income of $72.9 million, or $1.45 per share, for 2005, down from $85.7 million, or $2.31 per share, in 2004. That was on revenue of $1.9 billion, up from $997 million in 2004.
The company, which now operates 52 hospitals, acquired Province Healthcare and its 21 hospitals last April. It is in the process of acquiring five hospitals from HCA, Nashville, Tenn., and expects the transaction to be completed early this year.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2006/02/27/bibf0227.htm.
