Medical Specialists, a longtime Northwest Indiana health care organization of 69 health care providers who offer a wide variety of primary and specialty care services, has joined Franciscan Alliance, which has four hospitals in Lake County and nine others in Indiana and in south suburban Chicago, as well as numerous offsite specialty centers and clinics.
Medical Specialists, now called Franciscan Medical Specialists, was established in 1978 and has 12 locations in Lake, Porter and La Porte counties, was acquired by Franciscan Alliance effective Oct. 1. Its team consists of 55 physicians and surgeons, 11 nurse practitioners and two physician assistants.
“Franciscan Alliance is pleased to partner with Medical Specialists, a well-established and respected group of specialty physicians who will help us better serve the health care needs of thousands of Northwest Indiana residents,“ said Kevin Leahy, president and CEO of Franciscan Alliance.
Dr. Alexander Stemer, president of Franciscan Medical Specialists, said the partnership will benefit the community.
“Medical Specialists is delighted to announce its partnership with the Franciscan Alliance. This union is exciting, as it highlights major progress in changing and improving the landscape of health care delivery in Northwest Indiana. Franciscan Alliance is highly respected for its commitment to highest-quality patient care, and its forward thinking in development of health care initiatives. As a result of this unification, we believe that availability and quality of medical services in our community will significantly advance in the immediate future, as well as the long term.”
Gene Diamond, CEO of Franciscan Alliance’s Northern Indiana Region, agreed.
“Medical Specialists is a widely admired, deeply respected and skillfully led medical group, which has carved out a well-deserved reputation for high quality in each of its specialties and subspecialties. We’re delighted to combine our services with theirs, as we anticipate the changes wrought by health reform, and work collaboratively to improve the health of those who live in the many communities we serve.”
Among Franciscan Medical Specialists’ treatment services are:
- Allergy and asthma
- Behavioral medicine
- Dermatology
- Ear, nose and throat
- Endocrinology
- Infectious diseases
- Internal medicine
- Obstetrics/gynecology
- Orthopedics
- Pediatrics
- Pulmonary medicine
- Sleep medicine
- Rheumatology
Franciscan Medical Specialist locations include Munster, Dyer, Hammond, Hobart, La Porte, Merrillville, Michigan City, Schererville and Valparaiso.
Locally, Franciscan Alliance hospitals include Franciscan St. Margaret Health - Dyer and Hammond, Franciscan Physicians Hospital in Munster, Franciscan St. Anthony Health - Crown Point and Franciscan St. Anthony Health - Michigan City.
Mishawaka-based Franciscan Alliance’s other hospitals are located in Chicago Heights and Olympia Fields in Illinois, and in the greater Lafayette and Indianapolis areas.