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Inside Baseball is our well-read, quasi-regular, good-natured and mostly-accurate observation on the ins and outs of Nashville's vibrant healthcare industry. Get the latest issue here or subscribe for free to have it delivered directly to your email address.

April 2010 Issue | Download the PDF

DRAFTS and TRADES
 
In a surreal move, one of the most memorable figures from investor-owned healthcare announced his intentions to run for Governor of Florida last week. Yes, none other than Rick Scott. Being in the business we’re in, we couldn’t help but scan the news coverage and share with you our favorite phrases about Rick.

“….healthcare astroturf king”

“….a man who ‘bought hospitals by the bucketful and promised to squeeze blood from each one’."

“….the son of a truck driver and a JC Penney clerk, who worked his way through college and began a law practice specializing in health care mergers and acquisitions.”

“…who has....the potential to completely upend the traditional campaign model in Florida.”

And, our favorite quote found on the well-produced

www.rickscottforflorida.com
 
"Whenever he is riding into town, the hospital people are soiling their diapers. He can get things done that Government hasn't been able to do in 20 years.” Uwe E. Reinhardt, Princeton University.
 
He seems to shake things up wherever he goes. We’re certain Nashville’s healthcare leaders are eagerly anticipating that fundraising call.
 
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Word has it that healthcare investment banker Trey Crabb has hung up his own shingle. Insiders say Crabb is forming a firm – Health Strategy Partners – to focus on both for-profit and not-for-profit healthcare services organizations in the areas of capital raising and M&A.  Crabb has been in the biz for 19 years and brings significant experience to his new endeavor, which in our opinion, is good timing. (In case you didn’t notice or have been living under a rock, the hospital M&A market is lighting back up in a significant way. Just look at the new slew of chief development officers at all the major hospital companies in town.) Crabb was a founding member of the BofA healthcare group in the 1990s and also did healthcare M&A at Merrill Lynch in NYC prior to moving to Nashville in 2005. Given the current environment, we suspect Crabb will be staying quite busy. Hello Noshville!
 
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Call it the Zeppos Effect … The revolving door keeps swinging at VUMC in the post-Jacobson era. The latest round? Fundraising head Randy Farmer, who came to Vandy in 06’ from Washington University, St. Louis, has departed his development post at the Medical Center. Next up is Chief Financial Officer Rick Wagers, who is headed west to Memphis for a CFO post at The Med, where he will work under former Metro General CEO Reginald Coopwood M.D. And, according the local peanut gallery, the University of Florida Medical School continues to court Dr. Martin Sandler, M.D., for head of their medical school. Recall Sandler went back to practicing medicine last year after overseeing all four Vanderbilt hospitals - Vanderbilt University Hospital, the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, the Psychiatric Hospital at Vanderbilt and Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehabilitation Hospital – as Vice Chancellor of Health Affairs.

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Jim Rolfe, former VP of development at CHS and now managing director of VMG Health's Transactional Services Division in Dallas, just completed the sale of A-Certive Home Health in Clarksville, Tenn. to Suncrest Healthcare with the help of his friends at Bradley Arant Boult Cummings.  Rolfe’s addition at VMG Health a year ago signaled a move by the well-established healthcare valuation company to aggressively enter the healthcare M&A arena. As the hospital marketplace heats up, expect to see Rolfe at the Pancake Pantry more often.

 
DEALS IN PLAY
 
Former Passport Health VP Scotte Hudsmith has swapped plans for a new startup company and switched his focus from musculoskeletal centers to a company called Parental Health.  The company is a cross between IT and home health, as it targets seniors in need of at-home health monitoring. Insiders say Hudsmith is getting lots of interest and is close to securing his first round of capital … we’ll keep you posted.

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Word has it that Inspiris umbrella company HomeLonger is on the hunt for a buyer, or, as we say in PR, “exploring its strategic options.” HomeLonger has a slew of smart Healthways alum leading the charge, including Laurel Fuqua and Andy Loving.  The company is focused on the senior population, which is an area of interest among investors these days.
 
 
REASON TO CELEBRATE

 
Jarrard Phillips Cate & Hancock recently ranked among the Top 20 fastest growing PR firms in the nation – yes you read that right – according to information reported by the independent O’Dwyer’s PR Firm Rankings. We also ranked as the fastest growing firm in the Volunteer State.  Among all specialized healthcare PR firms, we ranked 18th (a jump from 27th last year) and 83rd among all PR firms (up from 116th last year). For the full national ranking of overall independent PR firms, click here
 
To celebrate, we’re swinging wide the barn doors to invite you to our second (and most-likely-annual) Cinco de Mayo Party (that’s May 5th for the English-only crowd). Stop by between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. for some margaritas and insidery conversations on the back porch. Sombreros are optional, but highly encouraged. Let us know you’re coming so we can make sure we have enough of the “frozen concoction that helps us hang on.” To RSVP click here

 
IF YOU RAISED $200k…?
 
Any of you out there raise $210,000 before you turned 16?  And your name is not Frist? OK…fine.  We don’t doubt there are some of you out there.  But we’re pretty confident that you didn’t donate that money to help build schools in Africa.  But Ellie did. Team Jarrard has been supportive of the annual 5K race – Ellie’s Run for Africa – for a while.  This year, we’re an official sponsor…and we’d love for you to take part.  If you’re in the Nashville area, join us Thursday, April 22, for  Africa at the Pinnacle – an evening of great food and music from Capitol Records Artist Emily West. Then join us – well, some of us – in running the 5K on Saturday, May 22. For details, click on the Ellie’s Run for Africa link on our Giving Back page.

Inside INSIDE BASEBALL

Inside Baseball is our well-read, quasi-regular, good-natured and mostly-accurate observation on the ins and outs of Nashville's vibrant healthcare industry. Expect to read insider news, speculations and questions shared between healthcare leaders (and would-be leaders) at The Pantry, Noshville and other ports of call.  Get the latest issue here or click here to subscribe for free to have it delivered directly to your email address.

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