Tower Radiology forms partnership in Tampa; practice acquired in Washington, plus more company news
Tower Radiology—the largest physician-owned outpatient imaging practice in Tampa Bay—has inked a new partnership with one local hospital.
Tampa General announced the deal on Thursday, with the opening of its new breast health center. The 5,000 square-foot clinic will include three imaging rooms operated in tandem with Tower, offering services such as 3D mammography, ultrasound and (eventually) molecular breast imaging.
They’ll provide biopsies and other in-office procedures there, too, all under one roof, employing rads, pathologists, and radiation oncologists. Tampa General touted their plans to offer MBI—noting that it functions like a PET scan at one-fifth the cost—along with the deployment of navigators to help patients traverse its many services.
“This dedicated women’s imaging and breast surgery multiplex will be a great opportunity for the Tower and Tampa General partnership to offer essential services from diagnosis to treatment together in one convenient location,” Larry Smith, CEO of Tower Radiology, said in a statement.
Tower highlighted the ability to better coordinate and streamline care, from breast screenings to surgery, with all services under one roof. Established in 1992, Tower has 19 locations and is the exclusive imaging provider for the Tampa Bay Lightning and the University of South Florida, according to its website.
Acquisition in Washington
Inland Imaging this week announced plans to acquire the professional assets of Tri-City Radiology, which has been around for nearly 50 years.
Inland itself is based in Spokane and has operated since 1930, employing more than 100 board-certified physicians in Washington, Idaho and Montana. After the deal, the center in Kennewick, Washington, will do business under the name Inland Imaging Tri-Cities, according to an announcement.
In a statement, CEO Steve Duviosin said the deal will allow the acquirer to deliver outpatient radiology care across a larger region.
“Inland Imaging serves seven rural hospitals in Eastern Washington and is proud that we can share our medical imaging resources in a more regional and efficient way,” Duviosin said. “That broader approach helps us imagine new ways to keep improving our quality, service and efficiency while offering the most affordable imaging services in the area."
Collaborative adds practice in NC
Collaborative Imaging recently announced the addition of Catawba Radiology to its radiologist-owned roster of practices.
Based in Hickory, North Carolina, and around since 1950, the new partner employs 18-board certified physicians.
Catawba leaders said they opted to join the alliance to gain access to data analytics tools and more staffing flexibility, among other factors
“These changes can be difficult for small practices to make on their own, but through our partnership with Collaborative Imaging, are within reach,” Knox Tate, MD, a member of the Catawba Radiology Executive Committee, said in a statement.
Following the partnership, Texas-based Collaborative Imaging now boasts a roster of 800 physicians in six states, according to an announcement.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.