MultiCare, a nonprofit health system that operates 12 hospitals across Washington state, is entering into a joint venture with Atlas Healthcare Partners, a national ambulatory surgery center (ASC) development and management company.
Founded in 2018, Phoenix-based Atlas partnered with Banner Health to develop and manage Banner’s network of outpatient care centers in Arizona, Colorado and Wyoming. In the first five years as partners, Atlas led the expansion of Banner’s outpatient care center network from eight to 30 centers, with additional outpatient care centers in development.
MultiCare is the third health system to form a joint venture with Atlas since 2019, joining Michigan-based Banner Health and Corewell Health.
Atlas has also partnered with MedAxiom to create a cardiovascular-focused ambulatory surgery center joint venture called MedAtlas CV. “MedAtlas CV will provide a better experience for physicians and patients through strategic alignments, including bridging the gap between health systems and physicians,” said Jerry Blackwell, MD, MBA, MedAxiom’s president and CEO, when it was announced. “The combination of Atlas’ expertise in developing and managing ambulatory surgery centers and MedAxiom’s deep understanding of cardiovascular care delivery ensures high-quality clinical and patient outcomes.”
“We are very proud and excited to be working with MultiCare. We have found a strong cultural alignment between the two organizations and believe that Atlas’ mission to provide exceptional care and outstanding customer service to patients and physicians complements and supports MultiCare’s vision to be the highest value healthcare system in the Pacific Northwest,” Aric Burke, CEO of Atlas Healthcare Partners, said in a statement. “The Atlas joint venture ASC model aligns MultiCare, physicians and Atlas to deliver high-quality patient outcomes and experience in an affordable outpatient setting. Atlas is also focused on providing highly efficient service for physicians with the opportunity to invest and partner in ASC operations.”
Prior to founding Atlas, Burke served as President of the Western Market for United Surgical Partners International (USPI), the industry’s largest ambulatory surgery center management company.
“Ambulatory surgery centers are essential to our ability to deliver the highest quality, highest value healthcare to our communities,” said Dr. Mark Mariani, vice president of MultiCare Surgery Centers, in a statement. “We are committed to maintaining and expanding access to surgical care in the region with an exceptional partner to help us deliver on our vision and mission. Partnering with Atlas gives us the equipment and expertise to quickly and efficiently develop, manage and expand our network of ambulatory surgery centers.”
