Mired in litigation with longtime imaging partner, hospital system switches radiology groups

A hospital system mired in litigation with its longtime imaging partner is switching to a new radiology group. 

Mary Washington Healthcare announced Thursday that it has inked an affiliation agreement with Medical Center Radiologists. The Fredericksburg, Virginia-based hospital system said the new partnership will allow it to “strengthen and unify” imaging services across the region, ensuring patients have continued access to care. 

The deal comes a little over one month after Mary Washington’s previous partner, Radiologic Associates of Fredericksburg, sued the hospital group. RAF is seeking some $3 million in damages and claiming that Mary Washington tried to force its radiologists into hospital employment and sought to “poach” away providers when they wouldn’t agree. 

“This affiliation reflects a deliberate, long-term strategy to strengthen radiology services and ensure stability and continuity of care for patients across the region. It is an important step forward for Mary Washington Healthcare and the patients and families served every day,” Christopher Newman, MD, president and CEO of MWHC, said in a statement July 23. “Medical Center Radiologists brings decades of experience and a strong reputation for quality. Together, we will ensure continued access to the high standard of imaging care the community expects.”

Based in Norfolk, Virginia, Medical Center Radiologists is one of the largest and oldest imaging groups in the commonwealth. It was founded over 70 years ago and employs 90-plus radiologists and physician assistants, with fellowship training across nine subspecialties. Mary Washington also touted MCR as the only hybrid academic-private group in Virginia, serving as the primary radiology practice for Eastern Virginia Medical School at Old Dominion University. 

The health system—which has 2 hospitals, 4 emergency departments and over 80 total facilities—said patients can expect zero disruptions during the transition. Mary Washington’s partnership with MCR is slated to kick off on Feb. 1, with the new group providing comprehensive radiology services across the system. It did not mention the old group in its notice, only saying the switch is motivated by the need to “strengthen radiology services, support continued access to high-quality care, and position Mary Washington Healthcare for the future.”

“This affiliation establishes a strong foundation for the future of imaging services at Mary Washington Healthcare, with a focus on quality, access and meeting the evolving needs of patients and providers across the region,” Robert Post, MD, president of Medical Center Radiologists, said in a statement. 

Radiologic Associates of Fredericksburg was founded in 1948 and in 2000 co-founded an imaging joint venture with Mary Washington encompassing eight locations across Fredericksburg, Stafford and King George. You can read more about the radiology group and its dispute with Mary Washington here.

Ian Gass, CEO of Radiologic Associates of Fredericksburg, said MCR is a “solid group with a strong reputation for quality.” “I’m glad the patients in this community will continue to receive care from a reputable radiology group,” he told Radiology Business. 

Gass noted that the scale of the transition will be “significant.” He estimated that Medical Center Radiologists will be taking on about 475,000 additional studies annually across the hospital system and its outpatient locations. Based on MCR’s current number of radiologists, he believes the new group will likely need to expand doc coverage by 30% before February. 

“That is a substantial recruiting and operational lift in the current environment. Perhaps they are having better success hiring than the rest of the industry, but it will be interesting to see how the coverage model ultimately comes together,” Gass told Radiology Business. “We wish them the best and expect they will provide the community with the same level of care and coverage RAF has provided for decades.”