PORTLAND, Ore.—PECAA, a nationwide doctor alliance group for independent doctors, has reached a merger agreement with the practice management group OD Excellence (ODX), according to an announcement earlier this week. The transaction was effective Monday, July 9. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. The newly merged group will be headquartered here in Portland and will retain leadership and staff from both PECAA (Professional Eye Care Associates of America) and ODX, according to the announcement. Members of both PECAA and ODX can expect to see “enhanced service offerings in the coming months,” the announcement noted.

“Our merger with PECAA is a perfect match for both companies,” Dr. Jerry Sude, chairman and chief executive officer of ODX, said in the announcement. “With all the consolidation currently taking place in our industry the timing is perfect. The additional benefits that PECAA and ODX members can expect to receive in the very near future will lead to increased practice revenue and reimbursements at the same membership fee they are paying now. I am excited to continue working with ODX members and sharing new benefits going forward.”

The combined group plans to leverage the service offerings and vendor partnerships of both organizations to provide members with “additional education opportunities, camaraderie-building events and consulting services,” the announcement noted. The timing of those integrations will be announced to members at a later date, the announcement said.

Jamie Hughes, general manager of PECAA, said PECAA’s team is “excited to join forces with OD Excellence.” He added, “Both organizations share a mutual commitment to helping practices thrive in today’s competitive environment, and this partnership will provide members with even more tools to help fuel practice success. We look forward to working with the ODX Team and their members moving forward.”

PECAA, a leading doctor alliance group that serves more than 2,760 independent ECPs, offers its members customized tools, progressive tactics, business advice, marketing support and education, among other resources.

OD Excellence, founded in 2008, currently serves 600 independent optometrists, is a practice management group that takes an integrated approach to business planning, according to the announcement. It offers members employee assessments, CE programs, a health care reform platform, and office manager certification and staff training, among other resources.