A funny thing happened on the way to national health care reform – Nueterra Healthcare began experiencing one of the strongest years in our history.  While others are busy wringing their hands over the new law’s intention to impede the growth of physician-owned hospitals, Nueterra is moving forward and will open seven new facilities this year.

Nueterra started the year with the opening a new community hospital in McKinney, Texas, which is the first of two hospitals the company will open this year in partnership with Methodist Health System. Later this month, Nueterra will open a new surgery center at the Navy Yard in Philadelphia as a joint venture with the Rothman Institute and Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals. Other facilities will open throughout the year and across the country.

Nueterra is looking for the new opportunities that are being created by the new health care reform law. It’s hard not to be excited by the fact that in the next four years 32 million Americans who are currently without health care insurance will be entering the health care marketplace. As a leader in this industry, Nueterra Healthcare has always embraced a mission to put more power in the hands of physicians to improve outcomes, reduce costs, and increase physician and patient satisfaction.

Granted, the new law specifically impedes, if not outright bans, the ability of physician-owned hospitals to grow in the future. So, physician-owned hospital leaders will continue to work with legislators and regulators to minimize the most blatant anti-competitive aspects of this law.

Nevertheless, the recent reform legislation does not change Nueterra’s mission or our commitment to physicians. We will continue to develop medical facilities where physicians control the delivery of care, participate in the governance and reap the economic rewards.

Nueterra executive David Ayers recently told the Kansas City Business Journal: “Nueterra’s going to come out of (health care reform) just fine because we find ways to make our business work.”

That’s the bottom line. We’re very excited about the prospects that are emerging for ventures with companies that are already part of the Nueterra family and with new partners altogether.