Eight cardiologists formerly employed by Rome, Ga.-based Harbin Clinic have signed contracts committing to AdventHealth Redmond, also in Rome, in response to Harbin's upcoming merger with Atrium Health Floyd, according to an April 27 report from the Rome News-Tribune.
The deal between Harbin and Charlotte, N.C.-based Atrium was confirmed in December. Harbin is one of the largest privately owned physician groups in Georgia, with 240 medical professionals across 40 specialties.
The cardiologists who have signed with AdventHealth are Michael Ware, MD, Charles Jackson, MD, Kipp Slicker, MD, Robert Styperek, MD, Andrew McCue, MD, Spencer Maddox, MD, Justin Tanner, MD, and Hunter Myers, MD.
Physicians have expressed concerns about the future of the oncology and cardiology departments at Harbin amid the merger, according to the report.
"Despite any rumored changes, Harbin Clinic will still offer the same comprehensive healthcare services in the future that we offer today," Kenna Stock, Harbin's CEO, told the News-Tribune.
While the specifics of the deal have not been made public, Harbin's partner physicians likely stand to make a profit from the merger, according to the report.
"Atrium Health Floyd and Harbin Clinic have a long history of working together to bring excellent clinical care to northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama. We continue to believe the proposed affiliation between Atrium Health Floyd and Harbin Clinic will further enhance our legacies of working together to care for the patients and communities we are both privileged to serve," a spokesperson for Atrium told Becker's in an email.