ChristianaCare, Atlas partner in surgery center network

ChristianaCare Wilmington. | DBT PHOTO BY KATIE TABELING

NEWARK — A network of ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) is on the horizon for Delaware and the Mid-Atlantic region with a new agreement entered by ChristianaCare and Atlas Healthcare Partners.

A ChristianaCare spokesperson said the new network will help expand access to cost-effective, high-quality surgical care not only in Delaware, but also in Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Atlas Healthcare Partners is considered a leader in developing and managing ambulatory surgery centers to improve outcomes and provide high-quality care at a lower cost.

The ASC-focused company is owned by Atlas and Banner Health and also has inked with MultiCare and Corewell Health, providing ASCs across the country through its various ventures.

“Atlas Healthcare Partners has rapidly become one of the fastest-growing ASC management companies in the U.S., ChristianaCare and Atlas Healthcare Partners are aligned in our values and focus on delivering high-quality, equitable surgical care and an exceptional experience throughout the communities we serve,” the ChristianaCare spokesperson said.  

ASCs are medical facilities in which a patient can receive outpatient, same-day surgical care, often releasing patients quickly following their medical procedure, according to the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association. They can often specialize in specific types of procedures, such as orthopedics, gastro-intestinal or cardiovascular care.

“Ambulatory surgery centers are an increasingly important part of the health care ecosystem, especially as advances in science and technology are enabling more and more procedures to be done safely in an outpatient setting,” ChristianaCare Chief Strategy Officer Jennifer Schwartz said in a press release from ChristianaCare. “By expanding the availability of ASCs throughout the region we serve, we’re helping to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to get cost efficient, high-quality, safe care, closer to where they live.”

As this new partnership is under development, it’s unclear how many jobs will be created through this new offering. However, a spokesperson from ChristianaCare said job creation was expected through the new regional ASCs. For the Delaware-based company, however, ASCs aren’t a new concept.

ChristianaCare currently operates a surgery center at its Newark campus and has part ownership of the Spine Surgery Center in Wilmington and Glasgow Surgery Center in Newark, according to a press release from the nonprofit hospital system. The new ASC network between ChristianaCare and Atlas Healthcare Partners, however, will have its own board with representatives from both companies.

“As care continues to shift from inpatient to outpatient settings, this joint venture will enable ChristianaCare to rapidly expand access to high-quality, affordable care across the mid-Atlantic region,” Atlas Healthcare Partners President and CEO Aric Burke said in the press release. “Our model offers best-in-class, comprehensive ASC development and management and aligns the health system, physicians and ASC team around the mission of delivering exceptional patient experience and outcomes.”

ChristianaCare also recently acquired all of the urgent care facilities previously operated by MedExpress in Delaware, signaling continued growth in the company as it works to meet the needs of its community.