Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1187260
45 GASTROENTEROLOGY A timeline of PE investment in GI By Eric Oliver P rivate equity investors are turning their attention to the gastroenterol- ogy space. Here is a timeline of PE investments that will be updated as more deals close: March 2016: Audax Private Equity enters into a deal with Miami-based Gastro Health. November 2018: Waud Capital Partners and Southlake-based Texas Digestive Dis- ease Consultants close a deal. ey establish e GI Alliance, a practice management company based in Dallas. December 2018: Frazier Healthcare Part- ners and Atlanta Gastroenterology Associ- ates enter into a deal. ey establish United Digestive, a practice management company. April 2019: Gastro Health makes its first out-of-state acquisition acquiring Bir- mingham, Ala.-based Southeast Gastro, becoming the first PE-backed GI practice to expand out of its home state. May 2019: Amulet Capital Partners unites Lancaster, Pa.-based Regional GI, Wyomissing, Pa.-based Digestive Disease Associates and Malvern, Pa.-based Main Line Gastroenterology Associates through a deal. It establishes US Digestive Health, a practice management company. July 2019: e GI Alliance enters into a deal with Evanston-based Illinois Gastro- enterology Group, becoming the first estab- lished PE-backed GI platform to expand. August 2019: Jamison, Pa.-based Physi- cians Endoscopy and Silver Spring, Md.- based Capital Digestive Care enter into a strategic partnership, forming a manage- ment platform. e GI Alliance invests in five ASCs owned by Texas Digestive Disease Consultants and Illinois Gastroenterology Group. September 2019: e GI Alliance con- tinues to rapidly grow, partnering with Beaumont-based Southeast Texas Gastro- enterology Associates. Gastro Health expands outside of the southeastern market, acquiring Seattle- based Puget Sound Gastroenterology. n Walmart is coming to GI, orthopedics - 5 insights By Eric Oliver W almart is leveraging its million-person-strong health plan to develop a featured provider network it's testing in Northwest Arkansas, Dal- las and Orlando, Fla., TB&P reports. What you should know: 1. In Arkansas, the department store partnered with Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield and is using a "quality assessment filter" to select and partner with physicians in gastroenterology, primary care, endocrinology, obstetrics, oncol- ogy, orthopedics and pulmonology. 2. Analytics company Embold Health partnered with Walmart to develop the quality assessment filter. Embold based the filter to weigh the appropriate- ness of treatment, efficiency and cost-effectiveness. 3. To make the list, Embold Health CEO Daniel Stein said physicians must consistently deliver high-quality care that is medically appropriate. 4. Walmart health plan beneficiaries who see a physician on the approved list will receive "maximum payouts of benefits," while seeing a physician not on the list will result in higher out-of-pocket costs fielded by the beneficiary. 5. Walmart said the initiative aims to help its beneficiaries select quality pro- viders. n Gastroenterologist guilty of participating in $16M Medicare fraud scheme By Eric Oliver H ouston gastroenterologist Yolanda Hamilton, MD, was found guilty of participating in a $16 million Medicare fraud scheme, according to a Department of Justice release. What you should know: 1. Dr. Hamilton was convicted Oct. 7 of one count of committing healthcare fraud, one count of conspiracy to solicit and receive healthcare kickbacks, and two counts of making false statements. 2. Dr. Hamilton was the owner and operator of HMS Health and Wellness Center in Houston. 3. Between January 2012 and August 2016, Dr. Hamilton and other co-con- spirators signed false and fraudulent care plans and medical departments to make it appear as if her patients qualified for and received home health services under Medicare. Dr. Hamilton and the co-conspirators then paid patients to sign up for and receive home health services when the services were not medically neces- sary. Dr. Hamilton charged the home health agencies an illegal kickback in the form of a patient fee, which the home health agencies would pay. 4. The DOJ said several other people related to the scheme have also plead- ed guilty or were found guilty for their roles in a larger fraudulent healthcare scheme, including Dr. Hamilton. 5. A judge will sentence Dr. Hamilton at a later date. n