North Ohio Heart Center to Join EMH Regional Healthcare System
Posted by Deanna Kidd on Wed, Aug 25, 2010
EMH Regional Healthcare System and North Ohio Heart Center, Inc. (NOHC) announced today that an agreement has been reached to join the premier cardiology practice in northeast Ohio and its primary care division, Ohio Medical Group (OMG), with the Elyria based healthcare system. The agreement, which will be effective on September 1, 2010, means that the 27 cardiologists and 24 primary care physicians of NOHC/OMG will become employees of a new entity, North Ohio Heart, Inc., created by the EMH Regional Healthcare System.
“North Ohio Heart Center, Ohio Medical Group and EMH have had an excellent, long-standing relationship, so this agreement seemed like a logical next step,” said John Schaeffer, M.D., President and Chairman of the Board of North Ohio Heart Center, Inc. “Our physicians have been practicing at EMH Regional Medical Center for over 30 years, and for that reason, we expect this to be a seamless transition for our physicians, staff and especially our patients. I’m confident this agreement will allow us to partner more closely resulting in better care and service for our patients at all of our existing locations throughout northern Ohio. Our relationships with the many hospitals we serve will also remain unchanged.”
EMH Regional Medical Center in Elyria – the flagship healthcare facility of the EMH Regional Healthcare System – has won several national awards for its high-quality cardiac care, including being named a three-time “100 Top Hospital” in the nation for Cardiovascular Care by Thomson Reuters. It is also an Accredited Chest Pain Center – the 72nd in the nation – which means that EMH meets or exceeds quality of care measures in acute cardiac medicine.
“The numerous accolades that EMH has accumulated over the years for our quality cardiac care has been a tribute to the EMH team of healthcare professionals, and the physicians and staff of North Ohio Heart Center have certainly played a significant role,” said Donald Sheldon, M.D., President and CEO of EMH Regional Healthcare System. “This agreement preserves the high level of cardiology and primary care services currently available in Elyria and Lorain County and is great news for our patients.”
The affiliation of North Ohio Heart Center’s cardiologists, Ohio Medical Group physicians and EMH is part of a national trend for large physician groups and hospitals. While the physicians will become employees of a new entity created by EMH Regional Healthcare System, the cardiology practice will operate under the name “North Ohio Heart,” and the primary care practice will continue to operate as “Ohio Medical Group.” All existing services and convenient office locations will remain the same. Patients may continue to call the same phone number to schedule appointments with their physician as always.
ABOUT EMH REGIONAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
EMH Regional Healthcare System’s mission is to improve the health of our community through safe, high-quality and cost-effective care. To fulfill this mission, EMH Regional Medical Center, Amherst Hospital, The EMH Center for Health & Fitness in Avon, and a multi-disciplinary medical staff provide services to meet the needs of the community. EMH Regional Medical Center was founded in 1908 as a community hospital and has been providing first class care close to home for 102 years. For more information, visit www.emh-healthcare.org.
ABOUT NORTH OHIO HEART CENTER, INC.
North Ohio Heart Center is a cardiology and primary care practice that places the patient first and provides the highest quality cost effective cardiology and primary care services in north central and northeast Ohio. Founded by John Schaeffer, M.D. 35 years ago in Lorain, North Ohio Heart Center had been a single specialty cardiology group with consistent growth throughout the 90’s. In 1999 a strategic decision was made, based on an opportunity to expand cardiology into Cuyahoga County and add a major primary care component, the Ohio Medical Group.
A successful primary care group founded years earlier, the Ohio Medical Group had 10 primary care physicians at that time. Since then NOHC and OMG have grown together with a major focus on growing primary care. Today, NOHC/OMG consists of 27 cardiologists and 24 primary care physicians at 12 locations throughout Cuyahoga, Medina, Lorain, Erie and Huron counties. With 240 employees and the latest technology including an electronic health record, NOHC/OMG had over 130,000 patient visits in 2009 and continues to grow.
