Scripps Health network patients benefit from three medical group merger

SAN DIEGO (CNS) – Patients in the Scripps Health network of five local hospitals will have an easier time finding affiliated doctors, thanks to the merger of three medical groups announced Tuesday.

San Diego Physicians Medical Group, Connect-the-Docs Multi-Specialty Network and XIMED Medical Group have joined to create a physicians group partnering with Scripps Health, the hospital network said.

It will be called the Scripps Physicians Medical Group, with more than 500 primary care and specialty physicians with offices countywide, according to Scripps Health spokesman Don Stanziano.

Scripps Health hospitals operate in Hillcrest, La Jolla, Encinitas and Chula Vista.

“Scripps Physicians will partner with Scripps Health in managed care and preferred provider organization (PPO) insurance contracts,” Stanziano said.

Scripps Physicians recently signed its first payer contract with Health Net for Medicare Advantage managed care in collaboration with Scripps Health, he said.

“We are excited about the opportunities that this new partnership with Scripps Health and our physician colleagues from XIMED and Connect-the-Docs brings to our patients throughout the region,” said Dr. Reuben Farris, president of San Diego Physicians. “Together, we bring a countywide network of high quality physicians across a wide range of specialties as well as a broad primary care network.”

San Diego Physicians has extensive experience with managed care contracts, which will benefit Scripps, said Chris Van Gorder, president and CEO of Scripps Health.

“We are responding to the changes in health care by building stronger partnerships with our affiliated physicians,” Van Gorder said, pledging “more affordable, more convenient care.”

The decision to join was driven by the physicians themselves, said Dr. Marc Sedwitz, president of XIMED Medical Group.

“We believe that by creating this new dynamic organization, between our physicians and the Scripps Health system that will have the talent and resources to provide high quality, affordable health care.