Study suggests patient care deteriorates when private equity firms buy hospitals
A major study published in the December issue of JAMA and reported by The New York Times, USA Today, and others claimed that serious medical errors rose after private equity firms bought hospitals. However, the study is flawed, and its findings are misrepresented. The study failed to define “private equity” and did not provide data to support its claims, focusing only on “adverse” events and outcomes without taking a balanced approach to assessing the impact of private equity acquisitions. Despite the bias built into the study, it found that patient mortality dropped by 9 percent in hospitals acquired by private equity, resulting in nearly 500 lives saved. This contradicts the study’s premise that patient care deteriorates after private equity acquisitions. Furthermore, the study’s findings on falls and bloodstream infections lack statistical significance and are based on a biased design that undermines its credibility. Finally, experts have cautioned against using the study to justify new policies, calling for more evidence before making sweeping conclusions. This study’s flawed methodology and biased approach cast doubt on its findings and the conclusions drawn from them.