Mike Murray

Mike Murray, on for Ben Hendrix, asked for growth expectations for ASC total joint procedures and for an update on progress and acceleration of cardiology procedures in ASCs.

Answer

Dr. Saum Sutaria, Chairman and CEO, confirmed continued focus on orthopedics but declined to provide service-line specific guidance. Regarding cardiology, he sees a long-term opportunity but expects a slower evolution than many anticipate due to patient safety, payer mix, and high capital requirements. He stated Tenet will participate but will not rush development.

Mike Murray, on behalf of Ben Hendrix at RBC Capital Markets, asked about the competitive dynamics in hospice given softer admissions and whether same-store ADC growth would continue to improve. He also asked what home health same-store growth would have been excluding the markets undergoing operational investments.

Answer

President and COO Brad Bickham expressed optimism that hospice same-store growth will continue to improve sequentially, targeting mid-to-upper single-digit growth with the help of new sales leadership. For home health, he noted that a market that previously completed the operational changes saw growth in the 2-3% range, indicating potential for improvement once the current initiatives are finished.