Emergency Physician Partners
Emergency medicine physician group serving hospitals nationwide.
PE-OWNED
Acquired by H.I.G. Capital2020-02-01
What Made It Great
Staffing emergency departments with board-certified emergency physicians.
What PE Will Likely Do
Emergency Physician Partners will reduce the number of board-certified emergency physicians staffing hospital emergency departments, replacing them with less qualified and cheaper physician assistants or nurse practitioners
Emergency Physician Partners will reduce the number of nursing staff in emergency departments, replacing registered nurses (RNs) with licensed practical nurses (LPNs) or nursing assistants to cut labor costs
Emergency Physician Partners will aggressively 'upcode' billing for emergency department visits, leading to higher out-of-pocket costs for patients
Emergency Physician Partners will eliminate or reduce the availability of certain essential emergency services, such as psychiatric or pediatric care, in some hospital locations to improve profitability
Expected Timeline
“0 to 6 months months”
Emergency Physician Partners will announce leadership changes and 'efficiency initiatives' aimed at 'optimizing' operations
“6 to 12 months months”
Staffing reductions will begin in emergency departments, with fewer board-certified physicians and fewer RNs
“12 to 24 months months”
Patients will experience longer wait times, reduced time with providers, and a noticeable decline in the quality of emergency care
“24 to 36 months months”
Certain emergency department closures or service eliminations may occur at some hospital locations, leading to care access issues for local communities
“36+ months months”
Potential financial distress or even bankruptcy of Emergency Physician Partners, leading to further disruptions or a fire sale to another operator
Similar Cases
Other companies that followed a similar path after PE acquisition
What You Can Do
Actions
Patients should be aware of changes in the staffing and care quality at their local emergency departments, and advocate for maintaining the presence of board-certified emergency physicians
Patients should closely review their emergency department bills and question any unexpectedly high charges or unfamiliar billing codes
Patients should stay informed about any service reductions or closures at their local emergency departments and be prepared to seek care at alternative facilities if necessary
Alternatives
Community-focused healthcare
Integrated managed care consortium