Tift Regional employs general, vascular surgeons
Published 12:30 pm Friday, October 24, 2014
TIFTON – Tift Regional Health System (TRHS) has announced that it recently acquired the practice of South Georgia Surgical Clinic in Tifton and will employ its three general surgeons, one vascular specialist, three nurse practitioners, one physician assistant and office staff.
TRHS President/CEO William T. Richardson said that hospital employment of physicians is becoming more common around the country in order to financially stabilize practices and enhance the coordination of patient care. In addition to South Georgia Surgical Clinic (now named South Georgia Surgical), TRHS owns Affinity Clinic, Affinity Pediatrics, Affinity Hospital Medicine, Allure Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center of South Georgia, Tift Regional Pain Management Center, WorkSmart Occupational Health and various primary care outreach clinics throughout South Central Georgia.
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“Integrating hospital and physician operations is emerging as the norm in this current healthcare climate,” said Richardson. “South Georgia Surgical Clinic was founded many years ago by Dr. Jim Kirkpatrick. General surgeons Dr. Joel Johnson, Dr. David McEachin, Dr. William Hornback and vascular surgeon Dr. William Kaiser have continued with Dr. Kirkpatrick’s legacy of quality surgical care for our region.”
According to Richardson, an array of market forces is compelling hospitals and physicians to consider the mutual benefits of integration.
“Operating costs continue to rise and significant, ongoing reimbursement cuts have made it more difficult to recruit and retain doctors in smaller communities,” he said. “In addition, hospitals are facing mounting pressure to reduce costs and provide greater continuity of care in this era of the Affordable Care Act.”
Dr. Joel Johnson with South Georgia Surgical said physicians are dealing with revenue cycle management challenges while being mandated by the federal government to meet costly information technology requirements.
“Hospitals are better able to provide the infrastructure physicians need for effective practice management in today’s environment,” said Johnson. “Plus, growing contingents of doctors want to focus less on the business side of medicine and focus more on providing care. This transaction with Tift Regional is a win for all involved and will maintain high-quality general and vascular services our patient population has come to expect.”
Johnson said there will be no disruption in the services provided by South Georgia Surgical.
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“Our location in Tifton remains the same,” he said. “In regards to patient care, the transition will be seamless and not even noticeable.”
Located in Tifton at 1007 Greenfield Drive, South Georgia Surgical offers general surgery procedures including laparoscopic surgery, breast biopsy, breast cancer surgery, hernia repair, gallbladder removal, colon cancer procedures, thyroid surgery and more. In addition, the clinic offers various vascular and endovascular procedures to treat blood vessel blockage as well as dialysis access creation. Major procedures are performed at Tift Regional Medical Center.
For more information or to make an appointment, call 229-382-9733.
