Whether the prospective buyers would be other hospital companies, real estate companies or some other category of buyers remains to be seen. Tenet has retained Citigroup Global Markets and Banc of America Securities will market the 27 properties, which include 19 in California, plus eight others in Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri and Texas. After selling the 27, Tenet would be left with 69 hospitals in 13 states, a restructuring that it says would create a stronger company. The sales will leave the company with 17 hospitals in California, which Trevor Fetter, president and CEO of Tenet, says the company could retrofit for seismic upgrades for about $300 million.

The California facilities to be sold include: Brotman Medical, Center, Culver City; Centinela Hospital Medical Center, Inglewood; Chapman Medical Center, Orange; Coastal Communities Hospital, Santa Ana; Community Hospital of Huntington Park, Huntington Park; Daniel Freeman Marina Hospital, Marina del Rey; Daniel Freeman Memorial Hospital, Inglewood; Doctors Medical Center, San Pablo; Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center, Encino; Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center, Tarzana; Garfield Medical Center, Monterey Park; Greater El Monte Community Hospital, South El Monte; Midway Hospital Medical Center, Los Angeles; Mission Hospital of Huntington Park; Monterey Park Hospital, Monterey Park; Queen of Angels/Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, Hollywood; Western Medical Center, Anaheim; Western Medical Center, Santa Ana; and Whittier Medical Center in Whittier.

The divestitures outside California include Doctors Hospital of Jefferson, Metairie, LA; St. Charles General Hospital, New Orleans; MetroWest Medical Center, Natick, MA; MetroWest Medical Center, Framingham, MA; Saint Vincent Hospital, Worcester, MA; Forest Park Hospital, St. Louis; St. Alexius Hospital, St. Louis; Brownsville Medical Center, Brownsville, TX.