Private practice takes over radiology services for hospital system that recently emerged from bankruptcy
One of Massachusetts’ largest private radiology groups is assuming control of a formerly bankrupt health system’s imaging services, the two announced Tuesday.
Andover-based Commonwealth Radiology Associates is teaming with Heywood Healthcare, an independent, community-owned hospital group, to make the change. With the partnership, CRA will provide radiology services at Heywood Hospital, in Gardner, Mass., and Athol (Mass.) Hospital, along with nine satellite sites across the Bay State and New Hampshire.
Heywood Healthcare selected Commonwealth Radiology after a competitive search process, seeking someone with adaptability in a “challenging” business climate.
“In today's increasingly complex healthcare landscape, partnering with a reliable radiology provider is essential for any hospital's success,” Rozanna Penney, MBA, president and CEO of Heywood Healthcare, said in a statement June 10. “Commonwealth Radiology Associates brings unparalleled expertise and scalability, making them the perfect match for Heywood's continued growth.”
Heywood Healthcare filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October 2023 after a series of setbacks including the removal of its CEO, a stalled multimillion-dollar construction project, and failed merger. At the time, Heywood cited workforce shortages, supply chain issues and a costly electronic health record transition as reasons for the filing. The health system successfully restructured its debts and emerged from Chapter 11 in September.
Founded in 2002, Commonwealth Radiology Associates already provides diagnostic and interventional imaging services across 20 locations in northeastern Massachusetts and southern Maine. It employs about 45 board-certified diagnostic and interventional radiologists, according to the announcement.
Francis Sweeney, MD, chief medical officer for Heywood, said the health system’s staff of in-house radiologists is “excited to join forces with Commonwealth Radiology Associates.” CRA will independently operate the imaging center at Heywood Hospital, while senior radiology staff at the institution will be retained and employed by the doc group. The practice first began providing imaging coverage for Heywood on Feb. 1 and officially assumed management of the radiology service line June 1.
“Partnerships like this are vital as we address the unique challenges of today's healthcare landscape,” Allan Hoffman, MD, president of Commonwealth Radiology Associates, said in the announcement. “We eagerly anticipate working hand-in-hand with our new colleagues, the talented medical staff at Heywood, to ensure each patient receives the best possible care.”
Hiring challenges also led to CRA taking over imaging services for York Hospital, southern Maine, in 2023. This previous arrangement appears similar the new one at Heywood Healthcare, with CRA also retaining senior hospital imaging staff members from York Hospital. Two years prior, the practice also inked a deal to integrate radiologist teams with Tufts Medical Center in Boston.
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.