Wilmington, NC, Anesthesia Group Joins MEDNAX
Wilmington Anesthesiologists consists of 24 physicians who practice at two hospitals, New Hanover Regional Medical Center, a 514-bed acute-care hospital that is a regional referral and trauma center, and at Cape Fear Hospital, a 133-bed community hospital that specializes in orthopedic services. The Wilmington practice also provides patient services at two ambulatory surgery centers, Atlantic Surgicenter and Wilmington Plastic Surgery Specialists.
American Anesthesiology is a growing national group practice of anesthesia providers that are collaborating to develop a systematic process of collecting, integrating and reporting clinical data in ways that support the organization's ongoing quality improvement programs. In attracting highly-qualified and well-established anesthesiology practices throughout the country, American Anesthesiology's diverse patient-focused clinical approaches offers anesthesiologists, nurse anesthetists and anesthesia assistants the ability to provide the highest quality patient care.
The physicians at Wilmington Anesthesiologists joined American Anesthesiology for a variety of reasons, including the ability to collaborate with anesthesia practices throughout the U.S. on clinical information and best practices, the opportunity to aggregate clinical data to enhance patient care and patient safety, and the opportunity to participate in clinical research and clinical quality initiatives.
"It was extremely important for us to partner with a solid force in anesthesiology that will provide support for the growth of our practice, and that will enable us to help shape the future of anesthesiology by establishing best practices through data acquisition in the clinical care setting," said Robert M. Shakar, Jr., M.D.,of Wilmington Anesthesiologists, who will serve as American Anesthesiology's Medical Director in Wilmington. "As part of the American Anesthesiology practice, we believe that the expertise of our physicians, combined with the group's unique approach to clinical quality, will help further advance the care that we provide to our local community."
Additionally, American Anesthesiology's core competency of managing the numerous administrative functions of hospital-based physician groups will be applied to the Wilmington Anesthesiologists practice. Billing for patient care provided by Wilmington Anesthesiologists' will be processed through American Anesthesiology's billing and administrative office located in Raleigh, NC.
Wilmington Anesthesiologists has built a 25-year relationship as the exclusive provider of anesthesia services at New Hanover Regional Medical Center, and the physicians work in close collaboration with the hospital's administration and certified registered nurse anesthetists. The practice has grown with the hospital system as well as the surrounding communities in southeastern North Carolina and northeastern South Carolina.
MEDNAX now has more than 550 anesthesiologists and advanced practitioners providing patient care in Virginia, Georgia and North Carolina.
The acquisition of Wilmington Anesthesiologists was completed by an American Anesthesiology affiliated professional corporation for cash, and the practice is expected to contribute to MEDNAX's annual earnings. Additional terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
ABOUT MEDNAX
MEDNAX, Inc., is a national medical group that comprises the nation's leading provider of neonatal, maternal-fetal and pediatric physician subspecialty services as well as anesthesia services. Physicians and advanced practitioners practicing as part of MEDNAX are reshaping the delivery of care within their specialties and subspecialties, using evidence-based tools, continuous quality initiatives and clinical research to enhance patient outcomes and provide high-quality, cost-effective care. Pediatrix Medical Group, a unit of MEDNAX, was founded in 1979 and now includes neonatal physicians who provide services at more than 275 neonatal intensive care units, who collaborate with affiliated maternal-fetal medicine, pediatric cardiology and pediatric intensivist physician subspecialists to provide a clinical care continuum. Pediatrix is also the nation's largest provider of newborn hearing screens. In 2007, the Company expanded into anesthesia services. Today, American Anesthesiology includes more than 550 anesthesiologists and advanced practitioners. MEDNAX, through its affiliated professional corporations, employs more than 1,450 physicians in 33 states and Puerto Rico. Additional information is available at www.mednax.com.
Certain statements and information in this press release may be deemed to contain forward-looking statements which may include, but are not limited to, statements relating to our objectives, plans and strategies, and all statements, other than statements of historical facts,that address activities, events or developments that we intend, expect, project, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future. These statements are often characterized by terminology such as "believe", "hope", "may", "anticipate", "should", "intend", "plan", "will", "expect", "estimate", "project", "positioned", "strategy" and similar expressions, and are based on assumptions and assessments made by MEDNAX's management in light of their experience and their perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date hereof, and MEDNAX undertakes no duty to update or revise any such statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties. Important factors that couldcause actual results, developments, and business decisions to differ materially from forward-looking statements are described in MEDNAX's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, including the sections entitled "Risk Factors", as well MEDNAX's current reports on Form 8-K,filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
SOURCE: MEDNAX, Inc.
MEDNAX, Inc., Fort Lauderdale
Bob Kneeley, Director, Investor Relations, 954-384-0175 x-5300
bob_kneeley@pediatrix.com