Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Novant Health has completed its acquisition of UCI Medical Affiliates from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina.
The purchase includes 52 Doctors Care and 20 Progressive Therapy Clinics, which are staffed by nearly 200 physicians and advanced practice providers, according to a Nov. 4 news release shared with Becker's.
Doctors Care is the largest and most established urgent care provider in South Carolina, opening its first minor emergency medical center in Columbia in 1981, according to the release.
Dean Swindle, Novant's chief strategy officer and president of Novant Health Enterprises, said the acquisitions extend the system's provider network to dozens of new communities across South Carolina.
"While some of the communities served by Doctors Care and Progressive Physical Therapy clinics are already familiar with Novant Health, we look forward to introducing ourselves, including our nationally recognized safety and quality program and our compassionate clinicians, to even more areas of the state," he said.
Novant entered South Carolina in February when it acquired three hospitals in the state — along with their affiliated physician clinics — from Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare in a $2.4 billion deal.
Jason Bernd, president of Novant's South Carolina region, told Becker's in October that the system's vision for the state is to "have a more asset-light, ambulatory-focused strategy, where we can get care at the right cost, at the right location, convenient for patients in these communities."
Novant signed a definitive agreement in July to purchase UCI Medical Affiliates from BCBS South Carolina.