Tennova parent is subject of '60 Minutes' investigation 

Tennova parent is subject of '60 Minutes' investigation

Dec 01, 2012 (Menafn - The Knoxville News-Sentinel - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --Executives with Health Management Associates, the for-profit parent company of Knoxville-based Tennova Healthcare, on Friday refuted claims of inappropriate emergency department admissions that it believes will be the subject of a "60 Minutes" episode.

While unaware of the exact nature of the show's content, the Naples, Fla.-based hospital operator told investors during a meeting in New York that they suspected it will focus on emergency room admissions from 2008 to 2011 based on questions asked during an October interview with Alan Levine, an HMA senior vice president and president of its Florida group.

The "60 Minutes" website promotes the segment scheduled to air Sunday as an investigation into allegations from doctors who claim the hospital chain pressured them to admit patients regardless of their medical needs.

An analysis of its admissions data collected was determined to be "consistent and in line with industry norms," Levine said. The allegations center on one particular Pennsylvania hospital, Carlisle Regional Medical Center.

A Tennova representative referred questions to the HMA website, where the company has posted a statement saying its data "do not support the allegations."

HMA entered the Knoxville market in 2011, after completing its acquisition of Mercy Health Partners for 525 million. Tennova hospitals include Physicians Regional Medical Center, Turkey Creek Medical Center, North Knoxville Medical Center, Jefferson Memorial Hospital and LaFollette Medical Center.

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