An funding firm owned by the Queensland authorities has signed a $138.6 million deal to purchase a consortium of Australian day hospitals.
Healius is promoting the Montserrat Day Hospital business to the Queensland Investment Corporation’s Nexus Hospital business as a part of a shake-up together with a shift in focus to diagnostics.
Healius purchased the chain of 11 hospitals for $122 million in 2018.
“The sale of Montserrat is in-line with our strategy to focus on the growth of our diagnostics businesses,” chief govt Malcolm Parmenter mentioned.
For Nexus, the acquisition will increase its portfolio to 29 short-stay hospitals, creating the most important short-stay hospital community in Australia.
The QIC mentioned it “actively demonstrates the execution of a sector-centric, thematic-based investment strategy, of which healthcare is a core focus”.
QIC head of world infrastructure Ross Israel mentioned short-stay hospitals are booming due to technological and medical developments that permit extra procedures to be carried out there, in addition to being extra inexpensive and environment friendly.
Nexus CEO Andrew Petering mentioned the tie-up would permit Nexus to share greatest apply initiatives and save on procurement prices.
“We look forward to the scale and depth that the combined businesses will provide for our patients and the overall Australian healthcare system through the ongoing delivery of affordable healthcare services with excellent clinical outcomes and patient experiences,” he mentioned.
Healius will shift its focus away from the day hospitals to its community of pathology and imaging centres.
Mr Parmenter mentioned the proceeds of the sale will allow the corporate to “strengthen (its) balance sheet during this transition period”.
Healius will proceed to supply diagnostic providers inside the hospitals, with one in three Australian pathology samples examined within the firm’s centres.
As a part of the shake-up, Mr Parmenter may also step down from the CEO position, after 5 years on the firm’s reins, to “pursue other activities”.
“I am proud of where Healius is today and I am particularly proud of our people and our culture of delivering accessible, quality healthcare to the communities of Australia,” he mentioned.
Mr Parmenter shall be changed by chief working officer and chief monetary officer Maxine Jaquet in March subsequent 12 months.
“I am focused on managing the transition from COVID-19 testing to our business-as-usual diagnostics,” Ms Jaquet mentioned.
She will get an virtually million greenback pay bump, going from making $876,000 in 2022 to $1.5 million within the CEO position subsequent 12 months.
At 12.22pm AEDT, Healius’ share worth was down 1.7 per cent to $2.83.