Private equity firms might be causing more deaths in hospital ERs

There has been a surge in recent years of private equity groups buying hospitals throughout the U.S., and emerging evidence suggests this may have unintended consequences. Following a hospital’s purchase by a private equity group, deaths in the emergency room increase significantly, according to new research. This data is adding to a slew of other health- and business-related complaints as more hospitals are being snapped up by private equity.

How much are deaths increasing at these hospitals?

After a private equity firm acquires a hospital, its emergency room death rate increases by 13.4%, or about seven additional deaths per 10,000 patients, according to research in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine . This data was based on “1,007,529 emergency department visits and 121,080 ICU