Imaging center stops answering phones after hospital acquisition, patients complain
Patients with two Central California Coast hospitals say that affiliated imaging providers have stopped answering phones and accepting insurance.
Adventist Health finalized its purchase of Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center and Twin Cities Community Hospital, both between Los Angeles and San Francisco, on March 29. Dallas-based, for-profit hospital chain Tenet Healthcare was the seller, unloading the two institutions (and their affiliated imaging centers) for $550 million, the two said at the time.
But since Adventist Health—a nonprofit, faith-based system with 28 hospitals—assumed ownership, the centers have stopped functioning properly, patients claim.
“Ever since Adventist took over, people don't answer the phones," Larry Miller, of San Luis Obispo County, told KSBY News in a report published Thursday.
The senior typically drives he and his wife from Paso Robles, California, to Templeton Imaging whenever a hospital-affiliated physician orders a scan. But Miller has been forced to make extra trips to the center to schedule appointments, alleging that calls are never returned.
“I tried three different times, just got no answer," Miller told the news station. “So, I gave up and I went in, and there's three people at the desk and the phone's ringing and nobody's answering it.”
Other patients have reported problems with using their Anthem Blue Cross or Blue Shield health plans to cover necessary radiology services.
“As Templeton Imaging transitions from Tenet Healthcare to Adventist Health, we want to acknowledge the challenges patients may have experienced, particularly with phone accessibility and insurance issues at the imaging center,” a spokesperson with Roseville, California-based Adventist said in a statement shared with KSBY. “We are aware that these changes can be frustrating, and we want to assure our patients that we are actively working to resolve these matters.”
In response, the hospital system is upgrading phone systems in November. Until then, patients who have immediate concerns can “visit our imaging center directly.” Adventist also has increased staffing at Templeton Imaging and is refreshing the space to “create a more efficient and comfortable environment.”
“We are also in the process of updating our insurance contracts to reduce uninterrupted access to our imaging services,” Adventist said. “Each health plan is working on implementing new contracts with Templeton Imaging, and we appreciate the community's patience as we navigate the necessary credentialing processes.”
In its February announcement of the sale, Tenet said the two hospitals generated 2023 revenues of $337 million. Pre-tax income was $25 million with adjusted earnings of about $38 million. As part of the transaction, Tenet subsidiary Conifer Health Solutions entered an agreement to provide revenue cycle services to Adventist Health. The Dallas chain has been on a selling spree of late, unloading four hospitals to UCI Health for $975 million earlier this year, among other deals.
Adventist renamed Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center in San Luis Obispo, Calif., as Adventist Health Sierra Vista and Twin Cities Community Hospital in Templeton, Calif., as and Adventist Health Twin Cities in March. Adventist Health reported $5.4 billion in total revenue during its most recent fiscal year.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.