Wesley acquisition of Galicia Heart to be final soon

A Wesley Medical Center official said Wednesday that the HCA-owned hospital’s acquisition of Galichia Heart Hospital should be complete early next year.

“It’s set to take place early in the first quarter of 2012,” Wesley spokeswoman Susan Burchill said.

It was about a year ago that the acquisition of Galichia Heart was first announced. At the time, it was Wesley’s parent, HCA of Nashville, Tenn., that was the acquirer. But Burchill said it is now Wesley that will be the acquirer.

Burchill said she couldn’t say why the acquisition has taken a long time to close.

A message left on the cellphone of Galichia Heart CEO Steve Harris was not immediately returned. An employee answering the phone at Harris’ office said he was not expected to be in the office Wednesday afternoon.

Burchill said both parties have signed a letter of agreement for the acquisition; financial terms have not been disclosed.

Galichia Heart, opened in 2001 by cardiologist Joseph Galichia, is an 82-bed acute-care hospital with a 14-bed emergency room at 2601 N. Woodlawn. The deal would give Wesley a northeast Wichita presence.

Harris said in an earlier interview that the hospital began exploring its ownership options following the passage of the federal health care law in spring 2010. He said at the time that the law placed numerous restrictions on physician-owned hospitals in terms of growth.

The privately owned hospital had 30 owners, including Galichia.

This story was originally published December 28, 2011 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Wesley acquisition of Galicia Heart to be final soon."