”Tenet Healthcare Corp. is buying two companies from private equity firm Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe that will significantly expand its footprint in the U.S. ambulatory surgery market and add several facilities in the United Kingdom,” Modern Healthcare reports.”The deal creates a path for the Dallas-based chain to take over United Surgical Partners International (PDF), an ambulatory surgery center operator also based in Dallas.”Tenet also will buy Aspen Healthcare, a London-based operator of four private acute-care hospitals, three ambulatory surgery centers and a cancer center, from Welsh Carson.

“The combined surgery assets will continue to operate under the United Surgical Partners brand and include 244 ambulatory surgery centers, 16 short-stay surgery hospitals and 20 imaging centers in 29 states, according to Tenet.”