April 1, 2008

NEOCS cardiologists are still practicing at AGMC, Barberton, Cuyahoga Falls General, Robinson Memorial, St. Thomas, Wadsworth-Rittman and Akron City Hospitals.

"Patients and referring physicians should not notice any change in our practice patterns", states Dr. Hughes who practices primarily at Akron General. "We are committed to this community, not just to one hospital or the other."

As hospitals nationwide have increasingly been employing doctors, it is not unusual for physicians to be employed by one health system in town and providing care at another, said Nick Fabrizio, a senior consultant with Medical Group Management Association (MGMA).

By joining forces, NEOCS and SPI will be in a better position to retain and attract more cardiologists to the Akron area. Dr. T. Clifford Deveny, president of SPI, said "'With the new deal we feel like we are stabilizing the cardiology supply and creating a model that makes it more attractive to come to Akron, Ohio."

Dr. Bauman stated "We see this as a further development in our long-term strategic plan to continue to provide the best cardiac care for our community. We want to have the correct number of cardiologists to serve the needs of this community. And at this time, this community needs more cardiologists."