Tacoma, Wash.-based MultiCare Health has launched a new joint venture with Atlas Healthcare Partners, which develops and manages ambulatory surgery centers in partnership with nonprofit health systems and physicians.
The joint venture combines Atlas' ASC strategy, development and operations skills with MultiCare's broad hospital, physician and ambulatory network to expand access to high quality, affordable surgical care in the Pacific Northwest.
"ASCs are essential for us to provide the highest quality and highest value healthcare to our communities," Mark Mariani, MD, vice president of MultiCare Surgery Centers, said in a July 16 news release. "We are committed to maintaining and expanding access to surgical care in the region with an outstanding partner that helps us deliver on our vision and mission. Partnering with Atlas provides the team and expertise to develop, manage, and scale our ASC network quickly and effectively."
MultiCare is the third health system to form a joint venture with Atlas since 2019.
Phoenix-based Banner Health partnered with Atlas to develop and manage the health system's ASC network in Arizona, Colorado and Wyoming. Over the last five years, Atlas helped expand Banner's ASC network from eight to 30 centers with additional ASCs in the works.
Atlas also formed a joint venture with Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Corewell Health in 2022 and MultiCare in 2023, to develop and manage ASC networks in their markets.