A rapidly growing Southland hospital chain owned by a controversial cardiologist has agreed to buy struggling Centinela hospital in Inglewood.
The pending acquisition would be the highest-profile purchase yet by Prime Healthcare Services Inc., an Inland Empire-based chain operated by Dr. Prem Reddy.
The chain is buying Centinela Freeman HealthSystem's Centinela hospital, which promotes itself as the official medical center of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Lakers.
It is the largest of three facilities that make up the Centinela Freeman system.
The struggling 369-bed hospital will be the ninth hospital Prime has acquired throughout the region in recent years.
The Centinela campus treats more than 60,000 emergency room patients and 80,000 outpatients per year and is a key component of South Los Angeles' healthcare delivery system, especially after the closure of nearby King-Harbor Medical Center in August.
Prime Healthcare said the deal did not include the purchase of two smaller Centinela facilities -- its Memorial campus in Inglewood and its Marina campus in Marina del Rey. The chain's current owners plan to keep the Marina hospital open although they are trying to sell the third facility, according to company officials.
Reddy said his company planned to acquire more hospitals throughout the region, particularly in Los Angeles County.
Reddy said Prime was considering making a bid for Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection from creditors last week. Brotman executives have not publicly said the hospital was for sale.
"We will be buying several more hospitals in Southern California," he said.
Over the last two years, Reddy and his company have launched an aggressive expansion program in Southern California. Six of Prime's hospitals were bought in the last two years -- including Sherman Oaks Hospital and Huntington Beach Hospital.
As the company has grown, Reddy and his business activities have come under increased scrutiny by state officials, healthcare advocates and patients.
In July, the Los Angeles Times profiled Reddy, chronicled his ascent in the Southern California hospital industry and reported on a wide range of concerns by critics about his company's practices.
