(PRESS RELEASE) ST. LOUIS — EyeCare Partners (ECP), the nation’s leading clinically integrated network of ophthalmology and optometry providers, announced that it has entered into an agreement to partner with Eye Institute of West Florida (EIWF), Tampa Bay’s preeminent integrated ophthalmology and optometric practice, expanding the network’s breadth and depth in Florida. An internationally recognized center of excellence and innovation, EIWF adds 25 providers across five comprehensive eye care locations, an aesthetic institute and a first-in-class ambulatory surgical center. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
“Eye Institute of West Florida is a pioneer in the field of clinically integrated eye care, and we are thrilled to add that expertise and depth of knowledge to our network of ophthalmology and optometry providers,” said David Clark, CEO of EyeCare Partners. “We are confident that the EIWF doctors and team members will be instrumental in helping us fulfill our mission to enhance vision, advance eye care and improve lives in Florida and throughout the U.S.”
With a sterling clinical reputation, EIWF is constantly advancing the eye care spectrum and has consistently been a leader in providing cutting-edge ophthalmologic treatments. The practice, with subspecialties in cataract and refractive surgery, cornea, glaucoma, retina and oculo-plastic surgery, was one of the first in the world to offer advanced procedures such as 3-D heads-up cataract surgery, phacoemulsification and small-incision bimanual surgery.
“For nearly 50 years, Eye Institute of West Florida has been dedicated to enriching our patients’ lives through better vision. Joining the foremost network of clinically integrated eye care further demonstrates our commitment to provide the best in eye care for our patients,” said EIWF Director of Cataract and Refractive Surgery Dr. Robert Weinstock, M.D. “Together, EIWF and ECP will continue to advance eye care as the nation’s leading provider of clinically integrated eye care.” Dr. Robert Weinstock will continue his clinical leadership under ECP as a Divisional Medical Director.
ECP emphasizes the importance of doctor leadership, through medical executive boards, in partnership with a diverse group of business leaders with broad healthcare experience, all working closely together to achieve the best results. ECP supports its practices by leveraging practice management expertise with the resources and knowledge inherent in its national medical group, while providing efficient and effective business functions in support of the growing demand for eye care, allowing doctors to focus on what they do best — deliver personalized patient care.
“At EyeCare Partners, we are building a network of opportunities for our patients, our doctors and our staff, and the addition of the Eye Institute of West Florida further strengthens our expertise in first-to-market surgical solutions and advanced training,” said ECP Chief Medical Director of Ophthalmology Joseph P. Gira, M.D. “As the healthcare field continues to change, solutions like the EyeCare Partners integrated network that imparts shared knowledge and expanded resources will lead the way for our clinical teams to continue providing the highest quality care throughout the full continuum of eye care.”
“When I founded Eye Institute of West Florida, I did so with the vision of attracting the top physicians and utilizing the best technology so Tampa Bay patients have world-class eye care by specialists here at home,” said EIWF founder Stephen Weinstock, MD, FACS. “Joining EyeCare Partners takes that vision to a new level, allowing us to draw on the shared knowledge of a national network of industry-leading doctors.”
The partnership is expected to formally close in mid-November.