Albany Med Interest in Ellis Raises New Questions About Healthcare Consolidation

Healthcare attorney Nili Yolin was quoted in a Times Union article about a potential merger between Albany Med Health System and Ellis Medicine and the implications for the communities served by the New York healthcare providers. Albany Med's announcement expressing interest in acquiring Ellis did not come as a surprise, given the Schenectady, New York-based Ellis had been seeking a hospital partner for more than a decade, but it did raise concerns about care continuity and cost as hospital consolidations lead to a shrinking number of independent healthcare practices in the region. Ms. Yolin told Times Union deals like these come with pros and cons: Mergers can bring tangible benefits such as new capital and experienced personnel to struggling community hospitals, but hospital leaders and patient advocates should secure written protections with enforceable commitments to ensure services including emergency rooms, behavioral health centers and maternity wards keep operating locally.

"If you don't have those safeguards, you are just betting on good intentions," she cautioned.

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