Queen’s To Acquire St. Francis?

The recently closed Hawaii Medical Center (HMC) West campus could possibly be acquired and reopened by Queen’s Health Systems, the parent company of The Queen’s Medical Center. Queen’s and St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii announced last month that the two are in the midst of talks that would allow Queen’s to acquire and reopen the Ewa hospital campus. The two have signed a letter-of-intent and confidentiality to explore this possibility.

HMC West currently is in the process of being returned to St. Francis Healthcare System. The West Oahu hospital shut down late last year after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. St. Francis Healthcare System sold both of its hospitals to HMC in 2007, and HMC was ordered to return their assets – including properties and equipment at both the Liliha and the Ewa campuses – to St. Francis Healthcare in April.

As required by the agreement, Queen’s will determine the feasibility of re-establishing HMC West as an acute care hospital by investigating physical, environmental, facility and other regulatory requirements.

“Meeting the health needs of the community remains our foremost concern,” stated Jerry Correa, president and chief executive officer of St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii. “We believe that Queen’s is well-positioned to provide quality acute health care to the Leeward community.”

“The Queen’s Medical Center is very mindful of the importance of the West Oahu hospital campus to the people of that community,” stated Art Ushijima, president of The Queen’s Medical Center.

Details regarding all further terms of the agreement are confidential.