Adeptus Health

Adeptus Health Inc. was a health care provider based in Irving, Texas.[2] Adeptus Health operates free-standing emergency rooms throughout Texas and Arizona.[3][4] It is the parent company of the oldest and largest freestanding emergency-room network in the United States, First Choice Emergency Room.[5][6][7] Adeptus Health became a public company in June 2014,[2] filed for bankruptcy in June 2017, and was acquired by hedge fund Deerfield Management later in 2017.[8]

In 2016, Adeptus Health was included on Fortune's list of the "20 Best Workplaces in Health Care".[9]

History

Adeptus Health was founded in 2002 with its first emergency room located in a Dallas suburb, Flower Mound, Texas.[2] Thomas Hall is the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Adeptus Health.[10] Previously, Hall was the president and CEO of NovaMed.[11]

In June 2014, Adeptus Health launched its initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange with 4.9 million shares at $22 per share under the ticker symbol NYSE:ADPT.[2][12][13] Also in 2014, Adeptus created a joint venture with Dignity Health to open a hospital in Arizona.[14]

In 2015, the company announced a partnership with University of Colorado's UCHealth to develop emergency care facilities in Denver, Colorado Springs, and northern Colorado, including 12 existing First Choice emergency rooms along with two new ones.[15][16] Adeptus also partnered with San Francisco-based Dignity Health to establish the Dignity Health Arizona General Hospital in Laveen, Arizona.[17]

In May 2016, Adeptus reached an agreement with Texas Health Resources in which it rebranded 27 First Choice Emergency Rooms, and all of the FCERs in Dallas–Fort Worth, under the Texas Health name.[18] In August 2016, the company reached an agreement with the Mount Carmel Health System to build and operate emergency rooms in Ohio under the Mount Carmel brand.[19] Adeptus reached an agreement with the Ochsner Health System to build and operate emergency rooms in Louisiana under the Ochsner name in September 2016.[20]

In April 2017, Adeptus Health filed for bankruptcy.[21][22] In October 2017 it announced its financial restructuring, which included the delisting of its Class A shares.[23] After bankruptcy in 2017, healthcare-focused hedge fund Deerfield Management acquired control.[8]

In December 2020, Adeptus filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. [24]

Operations

Adeptus Health operates for-profit hospitals and a network of freestanding emergency rooms. It is the parent company of First Choice Emergency Room.[10] Prior to reaching agreements with healthcare networks, the company owned and operated 52 First Choice Emergency Room facilities located in Houston, Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Denver, and Colorado Springs.[25][26]

Within Arizona, as of March 2017, Adeptus operated 10 freestanding emergency rooms that were co-branded with Dignity Health's[17] Arizona General Hospital.[27]

First Choice Emergency Room

First Choice Emergency Room is the operating name under which Adeptus Health operates freestanding emergency rooms in Texas and Colorado.[28][29] It is the largest and oldest such provider in the US.[30] First Choice was founded by Jack Novak in 2002.

Inc. Magazine ranked First Choice as one of the fastest-growing businesses in the U.S. in 2010, 2011, and 2012 under CEO and founder, Novak.[31] In 2012, Sterling Partners invested $59 million in the business.[32] First Choice generated $98.5 million in revenue in 2012, up from $41.3 million in 2009.[31] The company had 52 locations after an aggressive expansion in 2014, but as of July 2020 most locations had closed.[33][34][35]

In May 2016, Adeptus Health reached an agreement with Texas Health Resources to align its First Choice Emergency Room locations and rebrand most of its Texas locations as Texas Health Facilities.[36] In August 2016, Adeptus reached a similar agreement with Mount Carmel Health System in Ohio.[37]

Class action lawsuit

In 2016, a class action lawsuit was filed against Adeptus Health (as well as members of the Company’s board of directors, Sterling Partners, and the joint book-running managers in the Company’s secondary public offering of shares of its Class A common stock) by purchasers of its securities alleging that the company violated the federal securities laws and made false and/or misleading statements, failing to disclose its internal control over financial reporting and the overall status of its business operations.[38][39] The case is Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement System v. Adeptus Health Inc., before Judge Amos L. Mazzant III in the Eastern District of Texas, and is under Sections 11, 12(a)(2), and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933, as well as Section 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.[39][40] In 2020, the court approved the payment of $44 million securities settlement to conclude the class action lawsuit.[41] The settlement included all entities and investors who purchased Adeptus Class A common stock from 2014 to 2017.[41]

In 2017, a man from Colorado sued Adeptus and sought class action status involving the facility fees it charged patients.[42] It was alleged that the company took advantage of marketplace confusion and defrauded consumers through its failure to disclose excessive costs.[42]

References

  1. Leadership retrieved November 26, 2016^
  2. Daniel Salazar. Lewisville-based emergency room provider has steady IPO Wednesday Dallas Morning News, 25 June 2014, retrieved 1 September 2014^
  3. Antonie Gara. Adeptus Health IPO Powered by Revenue Growth, Obamacare Reforms The Street, 25 June 2014, retrieved 1 September 2014^
  4. Sabriya Rice. Freestanding emergency room operator Adeptus may soon emerge from bankruptcy Dallas News, 2017-09-28, retrieved 2020-09-18^
  5. Carrie Ghose. For-profit Adeptus Health faced opposition in Colorado American City Business Journals: Columbus Business First, 16 July 2014, retrieved 1 September 2014^
  6. Matt Goodman. Largest Freestanding ED Chain Opens New Location In Collin County HealthCare Daily, 28 July 2014, retrieved 1 September 2014^
  7. Stephanie Baum. Venture-backed healthcare deals rise to $2.7B in Q2 Ortho Spine News, 14 July 2014, retrieved 1 September 2014^
  8. Hedge fund takes over Adeptus Health www.beckershospitalreview.com, 6 October 2017, retrieved 2019-05-14^
  9. Laura Lorenzetti. These Are the 20 Best Workplaces in Health Care Fortune, April 12, 2016, retrieved July 18, 2016^
  10. Jim Fuquay. Lewisville-based emergency room operator goes public Star Telegram, 25 June 2014, retrieved 1 September 2014^
  11. EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT First Choice Emergency Rooms, retrieved 1 September 2014^
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  14. Angela Gonzales. Dignity Health creates joint venture for new hospital in Laveen Phoenix Business Journal, 28 October 2014^
  15. Emily Rappleye. UCHealth, Adeptus Health to partner on emergency care Becker's Hospital Review, 21 April 2015, retrieved 11 May 2015^
  16. Ed Sealover. UCHealth to grow with deal for First Choice ER facilities Denver Business Journal, 21 April 2015, retrieved 11 May 2015^
  17. Dignity Health, Adeptus Health announce joint venture. Shannon Barnet. October 23, 2014. Becker's. December 8, 2015.^
  18. Bill Hethcock. Texas Health Resources and First Choice ER Operator Adeptus Health Join Forces Dallas Business Journal, May 11, 2016, retrieved September 23, 2016^
  19. Carrie Ghose. Hilliard Hospital Fills Gap in Mount Carmel Network, Kicks off Venture with ER Operator Adeptus Columbus Business First, August 5, 2016, retrieved September 23, 2016^
  20. Ted Griggs. Ochsner Health System, Adeptus Health Partner on Stand-Alone Emergency Rooms in Greater New Orleans The Advocate, September 19, 2015, retrieved November 26, 2016^
  21. Linzee Brown. Adeptus Health Chapter 11 Petition Filed Bankruptcy Company News, April 20, 2017, retrieved April 20, 2017^
  22. Arnessa Garrett. Adeptus files for bankruptcy after string of losses retrieved 19 April 2017^
  23. Adeptus Health adhc.com, retrieved 1 April 2018^
  24. Company Bankruptcy Information for Adeptus Health LLC^
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  26. First Choice Emergency Room improves data center efficiency and network security retrieved October 11, 2014^
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  28. Rich Laden. Ex-Blockbuster store being transformed into ER Gazette.com, retrieved February 25, 2013^
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  30. New First Choice Emergency Room Facility Set to Open in Austin, Texas San Francisco Gate, retrieved February 25, 2013^
  31. First Choice Emergency Room Inc. Magazine, retrieved February 28, 2013^
  32. Bill Hethcock. First Choice Emergency Room plans $100M expansion Dallas Business Journal, retrieved August 26, 2016^
  33. Bill Hethcock. First Choice freestanding ER chain growing fast Dallas Business Journal, retrieved March 12, 2014^
  34. Sabrina Rodak. HCA, First ER Partner to Smooth Patient Transfers to Hospitals Becker's Hospital Review, 27 March 2013, retrieved March 12, 2014^
  35. First Choice Emergency Houston, TX - Last Updated July 2020 Yelp, retrieved 2020-07-19^
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  37. Carrie Ghose. Hilliard Hospital Fills Gap in Mouth Carmel Network, Kicks Off Venture with ER Operator Adeptus Columbus Business First, August 5, 2016, retrieved August 22, 2016^
  38. Olivia Nguyen. Class Action Lawsuit Against Adeptus Health Alleges Misleading Statements, Securities Violations « D CEO Healthcare Healthcare.dmagazine.com, 2017-03-20, retrieved 2019-09-17^
  39. "Form 8-K"^
  40. Oklahoma Law Enforcement Retirement System v. Adeptus Health Inc.^
  41. Adeptus $44 Million Securities Settlement Gets Final Approval news.bloomberglaw.com, retrieved 2022-08-11^
  42. Lawsuit claims freestanding emergency room operator scams patients Dallas News, 2017-01-11, retrieved 2022-08-11^