Clinic Comments on Possible NGPG Alignment

Toccoa Clinic Managing Partner Dr. David Yates said on Tuesday a possible formal alignment between the Clinic and Northeast Georgia Physicians Group is a natural fit.

In recent days, the two sides announced they have extended a letter of intent to continue exploring opportunities for formal alignment.

Northeast Georgia Physicians Group is the multi-specialty group of Northeast Georgia Health System, the parent organization of Northeast Georgia Medical Center.

Dr. Yates said that any such alignment between the two groups would not adversely affect current patients.

“We do not expect any change at all in terms of the things that we do to provide care for patients and we have every expectation that in addition to the current services, there will be an expansion of services into areas where we have had challenges in recruitment in the past,” said Dr. Yates.

Northeast Georgia Physicians Group Chief Physician Executive Dr. Antonio Rios said that the two sides share care of mutual patients in the region, mutual goals of providing high quality care that is easy to access, and a mutual history of serving the region.

Dr. Rios said it makes sense for the two sides to continue investigating ways to combine their regional strengths and better position each for success.

Meanwhile, Dr. Yates said a stronger relationship can help the Toccoa Clinic in providing its patients with services and quality of care that is difficult now because of provider shortages in certain areas.

“We are looking to expand by recruiting providers and having a working relationship with a larger organization helps us in terms of reaching out and recruiting other providers and retaining providers, which in this day in time, is as big a challenge as recruitment,” said Dr. Yates.

The press release from the two groups says a target timeframe for alignment between the two organizations is this Fall.