ACQUISITIONS: MEDPARTNERS/MULLIKIN UNIT BUYS OHIO GROUP
MedPartners/Mullikin, Inc., the nation's largest PhysicianThis is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
practice management firm, and Team Health, its hospital-based
contracting subsidiary, announced yesterday the acquisition of
Cleveland-based Emergency Professional Services, Inc. (EPS), the
fifth-largest group of specialists in Ohio and one of the largest
groups of emergency medicine physicians in the Midwest. EPS' 115
physicians provide "in-house" physician and emergency department
contract management services to 16 hospitals and six urgent care
centers in Ohio and western Pennsylvania. The deal, terms of
which were not disclosed, is expected to close in September.
REAX: MedPartners/Mullikin President and CEO Larry House
said the deal is a sign of the company's "strong commitment to
partnerships with hospitals." He said, "As health care continues
its evolution to a managed care environment, providers recognize
the importance of forming alliances with hospitals and with
payors. All three components are equally necessary to assure a
patient of the highest quality medical care." EPS President Dr.
James Rybak said Team Health and MedPartners/Mullikin are "the
best partners to take EPS to its next level" (Team Health-
MedPartners/Mullikin release, 7/24).
L.A. GEAR: Indianapolis-based Anthem Health announced
Monday that it would purchase a "one-third interest" in Los
Angeles-based BPS Healthcare, one of the 12 largest managed care
organizations in California, INDIANAPOLIS STAR reports. BPS
offers HMO, "exclusive provider" and PPO services to 325,000
members and had 1995 revenues of $16.8 million. Anthem Health is
a subsidiary of Anthem, Inc., a health care management firm with
1995 revenues of $6.1 billion (7/23).