Saint Francis Healthcare System has entered into a joint partnership with the Physicians Alliance Surgery Center, Saint Francis President and Chief Executive Officer Steven C. Bjelich, FACHE-D, and Physicians Alliance chairman Brian Schafer, MD, announced today.
The physician-owned surgery center, located at 3241 Percy Drive, provides ambulatory surgical services in the following specialties: ear, nose and throat; general surgery; gynecology; ophthalmology; orthopaedics; and retinal specialties.
Sixteen local physicians make up the Physician’s Alliance group, including Schafer; Curtis Coonce, MD; Thomas Critchlow, MD; James Edwards, MD; Richard L. Kies, MD; John Kinder, MD; Patrick Knight, MD; Rickey Lents, MD; Todd Lumsden, DO; Richard Martin, MD; Adam Morgan, MD; R. August Ritter, III, MD; Jan Seabaugh, MD; Michael Trueblood, MD; Ann Behrend-Uhls, MD; and David Westrich, MD.
As part of this partnership, Saint Francis Healthcare System will own a 51 percent interest in the limited liability company, with the remaining 49 percent interest shared among the individual physicians within the alliance group.
“The partnership between Saint Francis and Physicians Alliance Surgery Center will serve the long-term interests of both the Medical Center and the physician owners of the center,” says Schafer. “We physicians can now concentrate on serving surgical patients and allow our partner, Saint Francis, to use its expertise to handle management issues that may arise, especially in the face of healthcare reform.”
“Changes in the healthcare landscape, brought about by the Affordable Care Act, put physicians in the middle of increasing regulatory requirements, making it more challenging than ever to provide care,” says Bjelich. “Saint Francis is answering this challenge by entering into partnership relationships with some of the finest physicians groups in our region. This growing community of healthcare professionals offers a variety of benefits, highlighted by an increased continuity of care for patients when more providers are on the same team.”
Schafer continues, “From a physician’s perspective, this partnership is the best of both worlds. The physician owners get to continue medical management and supervision, with the proven executive leadership of Saint Francis.”
