Hospital giant Intermountain Health closes acquisition of Las Vegas radiology practice

Hospital giant Intermountain Health has finalized its acquisition of a nearly 40-year-old private radiology practice in Las Vegas, the two announced Thursday. 

The Salt Lake City-headquartered nonprofit is buying Steinberg Diagnostic Medical Imaging for an undisclosed sum, with the integration to be introduced in phases over the next year. SDMI opened its first office in 1988 and today commands a team of over 550 employees and affiliates, including approximately 30 radiologists. 

Intermountain first announced the deal last October, noting that it is growing in southern Nevada and believes adding SDMI and its 12 outpatient imaging centers will help “enhance patient access to high-quality, cost-effective care.”

“Intermountain Health’s expansion of imaging services through SDMI strengthens our capacity to support Las Vegas patients throughout their care journey,” Scott Stevens, MD, chief medical officer for the hospital system’s Desert Region, said in a statement Jan. 22. “This comprehensive model of delivering high quality, cost-effective imaging services in-house allows us to provide continuity of care with a seamless, person-centered approach.”  

Radiologist Leon Steinberg, MD, who died in 2018, moved to Las Vegas to open Sunrise Hospital’s first radiology department in 1958. Seeing a need for more patient friendly options around Las Vegas, he, his son, David Stienberg, MD, and colleague Mark Winkler, MD, opened the first SDMI location 30 years after his arrival. Prior to its sale, SDMI’s website touted the practice’s independence, with it “100% locally owned and operated.” Its skilled team includes subspecialized radiologists, technologists, and physician assistants, trained in over 2,000 procedures ranging from screening mammograms to port placements for chemo. Areas of expertise include interventional services, musculoskeletal care, women's imaging and pediatric radiology. 

“We are thrilled to join Intermountain Heath, bringing our leadership in imaging, integrity and innovation in Las Vegas to delivering on the mission of helping people live healthier lives through proactive, personalized care,” Winkler, MD, founding partner and president of SDMI, said in Thursday’s announcement. “Our shared focus on compassionate care and cutting-edge technology ensures that patients encounter the highest standards of medicine.”  

Intermountain operates 34 hospitals across Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming. It’s seen rapid growth in southern Nevada, where the system soon plans to break ground on a 200-bed pediatric healthcare facility—the state’s first standalone, comprehensive children’s hospital. Altogether, it has over 80 clinics at 65 locations in Nevada, concentrated in urgent care and specialties including oncology, cardiology, endocrinology, pulmonology, physical medicine, and women’s and children’s health. Intermountain also has launched a chain of Tellica Imaging freestanding centers, with 13 locations across Idaho, New Hampshire, Utah and Washington. 

“Quality imaging services are critical because they provide clear, detailed views for accurate diagnoses that enable early disease detection, guide effective treatments and monitoring of progress,” Ben Gordon, MD, Intermountain’s associate chief medical officer, clinical shared services, imaging, said in the announcement. “These changes [buying and integrating SDMI] will allow us to ensure we are delivering the very best in quality and safety while focusing on patient experience and health outcomes.”