Dr. James Geraughty
VUMC acquires MedCore Medical Group
Vanderbilt University Medical Center has signed an agreement to acquire MedCore Medical Group, an 11-member physician group practice located in Franklin, Tenn.
The move, which is pending approval of the Vanderbilt University Board of Trust, increases Williamson County residents' access to VUMC's broad range of health care services and allows VUMC to expand its geographic coverage and augment its network of primary care physicians.
"We are always looking for new opportunities to broaden our base of primary care physicians and to expand our services to the areas surrounding Nashville," said Dr. James K. Geraughty, associate vice chancellor for Health Affairs. "This agreement accomplishes that by providing MedCore with the full advantage of VUMC's management services and the economies of scale that come with being a part of a larger health system," he said.
VUMC and MedCore have been affiliated since December, 1994. Under terms of the acquisition, VUMC will take over management responsibility for the practice as well as assume ownership of the group's Franklin walk-in clinic, which was constructed last year.
Geraughty said that patients shouldn't notice any difference in the services provided by MedCore physicians nor from the walk-in clinic, which, in addition to primary care services, features an occupational medicine center and an eye care center.
"Patients will continue to receive the same excellent service they have always received at MedCore. We have been working on integrating Vanderbilt and MedCore for over a year now, and this arrangement is just a natural evolution of our relationship," he said.
The transition is expected to be smooth one for MedCore's members and patients, said Dr. Richard G. Lane, president of the 11-member physician group practice.
"We will continue all of our relationships with local physicians and with other local health care providers. Our patients shouldn't see any difference in the service they receive.
"However, our patients will now have the benefit of seamless access to Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the medical expertise its subspecialists provide," Lane said.
MedCore met all of the criteria VUMC looks for in a potential practice partner, Geraughty said.
"We are committed to being a leader in patient care and innovative medicine in this region, so we are especially careful when it comes to evaluating the wisdom of collaborative opportunities that come up. We want to make sure the partnerships we form add value not only for VUMC and our partners, but for the communities we serve.
"MedCore has proven to be a valuable partner over the past year, and we wanted to officially make them a part of the team," Geraughty said.