Florida Heart Surgery Law Bugs Tenet Healthcare

Old infection concerns -- possibly tied to flying insects inside a Florida surgery unit -- aren't the only threat to Tenet's (THC Quote) lucrative cardiac business in the state.

Last week, Gov. Jeb Bush signed a new law that could allow four nonprofit hospitals to begin competing with Tenet for open-heart surgeries in southern Florida. Tenet-owned Delray Medical Center promptly responded by filing a lawsuit contesting the legality of the new law just two hours after it was enacted last week, according to the Palm Beach Post. The company's second open-heart unit in the region, operated by Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center, has already weathered a huge dive in profits following publicity about an alleged infection-control problem at the facility.

Palm Beach Gardens faces more than 100 patient lawsuits that could start going to trial next year. ...