Some wary of Providence home health joint venture with for-profit company

“Private equity is somewhat more extractive because there’s a pressure to provide large dividend payments to investors,” said Mikusko, strategic researcher with the Washington State Nurses Association.

Mikusko cited research that shows quality of care diminishes when private equity companies become involved in health care, such as a 2023 study from the Center for Economic and Policy Research. Another 2023 study conducted by the Journal of the American Medical Association found that private equity acquisition led to a 25% increase in hospital-acquired conditions, including falls and bloodstream infections.