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ST. LOUIS—EyeCare Partners LLC (ECP), a leading network of integrated ophthalmology and optometry providers serving patients across the entire vision care continuum, has announced 16 new partner practices that have been added to the organization since October 2020. Despite the enormous challenges of 2020, EyeCare Partners “adapted and continued to expand its footprint in the vision care field,” the announcement noted. Since the third quarter of last year, EyeCare Partners said it has added 95 offices, 11 ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and 165 doctors. The terms of the transactions were not disclosed.

The new partners include:

• Blue Sky Vision in central and western Michigan
• Byrd Eye Clinic in Michigan
• Central Florida Eye Care in Florida
• Drs. May, Hettler & Associates in Virginia
• Eye Care Associates of East Texas
• Eye Clinics of Michigan and Southgate Surgery Center in Michigan
• Eyes First Vision in New Jersey
• Frisco Eye Associates in Texas
• Gregory Optical in Minnesota
• OKC Group, including Bogie Eye Care, Eye Care of Oklahoma, Precision Vision Surgery Center and Cataract Institute of Oklahoma
• Tukel Eye Center in Michigan
• Tuscaloosa Ophthalmology in Alabama
• Wyandotte Eye Clinic in Michigan

These new partnerships advance EyeCare Partners’ strategy of building the nation’s leading network of integrated ophthalmology and optometry practices through collaboration with prominent eyecare specialists, the announcement noted. The EyeCare Partners network currently includes more than 780 providers, operating across 18 states throughout the Midwest, Southeast, Mid-Atlantic and Southwest regions.

“We are deeply committed to developing a national integrated network of leading vision care professionals because we believe it improves clinical care, enhances our patients’ experience and serves the professional needs of our doctors,” chief executive officer Kelly McCrann said in the announcement.

EyeCare Partners is backed by the global investment firm Partners Group. In December 2019, Partners Group made “a significant equity investment” in EyeCare Partners, which was composed of about 450 practice locations at the time, as VMAIL reported.

“EyeCare Partners is building a clinical organization that supports our doctors’ professional and administrative needs,” added Dr. Jim Wachter, chief professional officer. “We are creating a very special organization with distinctive abilities to serve both our patients and our doctors.”

“Our ophthalmology and optometry medical executive boards provide our leadership team and board of directors with insights and guidance on how to improve our clinical services and operational support,” added Dr. Joe Gira, chief medical officer.

McCrann also noted that the group believes its practice additions in 2020 are “a testament to our operating philosophy and business approach.” He added, “The entire EyeCare Partners team is excited to expand our presence across the United States with these new partners.”