ATLANTA—EyeSouth Partners has completed an affiliation with Retina Care Specialists (RCS) of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. The affiliation represents EyeSouth’s fifth in the state of Florida and 24 affiliation overall. RCS operates three locations in the South Florida region. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. EyeSouth is an eyecare-focused management services organization backed by Shore Capital Partners. It is committed to partnering with leading physicians to build a premier network of eye care services in the U.S., according to the announcement this week.

EyeSouth’s affiliate network consists of 24 practices with over 200 doctors providing medical and surgical eyecare services at approximately 115 locations, including 13 surgery centers, throughout Georgia, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Tennessee, Ohio, Kentucky and Alabama, the announcement noted.
 
Drs. Mark Michels, Adrian Lavina, Paul Gallogly and Philip Laird lead the Retina Care Specialists practice. For more than 20 years, Retina Care Specialists and its board-certified ophthalmologists have offered first-class expertise in the treatment of retinal, macular, and vitreous diseases to patients throughout South Florida, according to the announcement.
 
“The team at Retina Care Specialists has been seeking a partner that will allow us to concentrate on clinical medicine, research, and patient care while having access to expertise in other complementary areas,” said Dr. Michels, founder of RCS. “We believe that EyeSouth will help us better navigate the rapidly changing health care environment so that we can continue to deliver exceptional patient care and experience to our community.”

“RCS’ patient-focused culture and long history of growth align well with EyeSouth’s values and strategy specific to this region,” said Eugene Gabianelli, MD, chief medical officer of EyeSouth Partners. “We are excited to have another top-quality practice join our growing network in South Florida.”