75-year-old independent radiology practice becomes part of hospital medical group
A 75-year-old independent radiology practice has become part of a local hospital’s multispecialty medical group, effective Sept. 26, the two announced on Wednesday.
Founded in 1950, Hickory-based Catawba Radiological Associates has served the “Unifour” area of western North Carolina for decades. The private practice is now joining the Catawba Valley Health System’s physician team, as the hospital system seeks to provide better-coordinated, in-house specialty care.
Tiffany Brittain, executive director of the practice since 2015, says the radiology group has cultivated a strong relationship with the hospital system after many years working together.
“This partnership allows us to preserve the clinical excellence, physician relationships and commitment to our patients that have long defined our practice while creating new opportunities to collaborate more closely with colleagues across the health system,” Brittain said in a statement from the hospital. “We look forward to this next chapter and to continuing to serve our patients and community as part of the Catawba Valley team.”
Catawba Radiological Associates employs approximately 18 physicians and three advanced-practice providers, serving counties including Catawba, Caldwell, Burke and Alexander. Along with CVHS, the practice has provided subspecialized interpretations to Duke LifePoint's Frye Regional Medical Center and Rutherford Regional Health System, UNC Caldwell, and other local specialty practices. It has served a total of four hospitals and four outpatient centers, handling about 410,000 procedures per year while also delivering interventional services, according to Strategic Radiology.
Dennis Johnson, president and CEO of Catawba Valley Health System, on Wednesday touted the practice’s longstanding reputation for clinical excellence, trusted physician leadership and exceptional service.
“Their physicians have been important partners in caring for patients across our region for many years, and we are grateful for the opportunity to build on that relationship together while preserving the continuity and trusted care patients have come to know,” he said in a statement.
Mariane Carna, president of the hospital medical group, touted benefits of adding the local radiology practice’s physicians. These include “strategic alignment,” bringing together their vision for a “strong, integrated multispecialty medical group.” She notes that Catawba Valley Medical Group is eyeing continued growth, with a focus on clinical integration and supporting collaboration across medical specialties.
“Catawba Radiological Associates brings tremendous expertise, a deep commitment to patients and a longstanding reputation for excellence,” Carna said in the announcement. “Radiology touches nearly every aspect of patient care, and we are honored to welcome these physicians as colleagues and build on the strong foundation they have established,” she added later.
Catawba Radiological Associates becomes the ninth specialty practice within the hospital medical group. It joins others including Catawba Valley Cardiology, Catawba Valley Surgery & Cancer Center, Catawba Valley Vascular Surgery, Horizon in Lenoir, Catawba Valley Pulmonology, Catawba Valley Neurology and Catawba Valley Foot & Ankle Center. Following the addition, the health system now operates 31 primary and specialty care practices. CVHS includes one hospital, the 258-bed Catawba Valley Medical Center, and over two dozen locations across the region.
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.