Atlanta-based Southern Ear, Nose, Throat & Allergy Partners has a strategic interest in affiliating with practices that own ASCs, two executives of the private-equity backed group said in a November interview.
JC Lupis, managing director of investment bank Global Healthcare Advisors, interviewed SENTA's Adam Low, CEO, and John Bennett, vice president of mergers and acquisitions and corporate development.
Five key insights they shared:
1. Backed by Shore Capital Partners, SENTA Partners comprises 13 ENTs and 15 allergists. It has completed three practice affiliations in the past two months, its latest being with Valdosta (Ga.) ENT.
2. SENTA's interest in physician and practice partnerships remains strong despite the pandemic; it is in talks with additional groups in the Southern market spanning from Texas to Florida and the Carolinas.
3. ASCs are "a big piece" of SENTA's strategy because they deliver high-quality care, improve the patient experience and appeal to physicians. SENTA's platform currently includes three ASCs.
4. The pandemic demonstrated how physician practices can benefit from private equity backing. With a model that lends itself to weathering disruption, SENTA was able to support its partner practices during the pandemic by deploying growth capital and establishing a clear course of action.
5. SENTA is betting on further consolidation in the ENT and allergy space.
"We've seen numerous ENT and allergy practices select physicians to internally study private equity as an option in advance of pursuing a deal," the company's leaders said. "SENTA is working to educate the marketplace within our target geography about the benefits of partnering with private equity, and we've seen success already, having completed four affiliations since our inception."
Click here to read the full Q&A.