A new study by the National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) of nearly 250 hospitals that were acquired between 2009 and 2013 found no evidence that the ownership change improved their quality of care. Compared to peer hospitals that were not acquired, the acquired hospitals actually performed worse on patient experience measures after the merger and did not show significant improvement in patient outcomes or clinical process measures.

The study is the first systematic assessment of a broad range of quality impacts on hospitals acquired in a comprehensive set of recent mergers. The research adds to a body of evidence that finds hospital consolidation does not improve quality but does lead to higher prices for patients.

Read the full report here.