NEW YORK—A year after merging operations, CityMD of New York and Summit Medical Group (SMG) of Berkeley Heights, N.J., are marking the anniversary by touting their joint efforts at working to alleviate overrun healthcare facilities in the New York Metro Area, which suffered greatly during the spring spike in cases of the coronavirus.

The joint operation announced last month that their urgent care centers were able to take up the slack when the region’s emergency rooms were deluged with the wave of cases earlier this year.  In addition to handling non-COVID-related patients, the healthcare operation was able to assist with COVID-19 diagnostic testing to such an extent that it tripled testing capacity in and around New York.  Furthermore, Summit facilities have undertaken to care for the sickest patients from New Jersey hospitals when many other facilities had to pivot specifically to covid care.

“We knew our combined organization possessed incredible strengths and capabilities, but the COVID-19 crisis showed the true colors of Summit CityMD’s teams and providers, as well as the values that underpin both organizations,” Jeffrey Le Benger, CEO of Summit CityMD, said in a recent statement.  “What we’ve experienced ultimately advanced us down the path because of how we were able to come together in this crisis.”

In the first months of the coronavirus pandemic earlier this year, CityMD and SMG both experienced a slowdown in routine care, but recently they have been seeing an uptick in elective procedures and even essential surgeries that had to take a backseat when the pandemic hit.

Other benefits of the merger within its first year included an increased presence of primary care in New York, urgent care expansion, as well as “co-located” physicians working in both New York and New Jersey.

At present, Summit CityMD employs over 8,000 people at several hundred different locations on both sides of the Hudson River.  Summit CityMD says that its future plans for expansion entail rebranding as a singular entity but maintaining both individual brands.  The joint venture will also be expanding into more locations as well as investing in what they call “an enhanced digital experience” for patients.

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TOMS RIVER, N.J.—New York-based CityMD has bought Urgent Care Now, a provider of emergency medicine and urgent care in the New Jersey shore area.  The purchase brings into CityMD’s portfolio three locations of Urgent Care Now clinics in the Ocean County towns of Toms River, Manahawkin and Lanoka Harbor.  CityMD already had 16 other clinics in its New Jersey portfolio prior to the buy.

The three clinics were only temporarily closed for rebranding to get the new name on the facilities.  In addition, another Urgent Care Now in nearby Little Egg Harbor will be closed permanently as part of the brand consolidation.

CityMD will be bringing to the Urgent Care Now clinics its centralized Aftercare Department, which it says integrates initial assessments with referrals and follow-up care.

Dr. Vincent Campasano, senior vice president of operations for CityMD, said that his firm is excited to get the care model up and running at the Jersey Shore clinics.

“We are excited to extend our innovative care model to patients of South Jersey, providing them with fast, convenient access to high-quality medical care,” said Campasano.  “With the acquisition of Urgent Care Now, we will be able to serve more patients and continue our mission to build healthier, kinder communities.”

The Urgent Care Now network was founded in 2005 by Dr. John Kulin.  Kulin and 28 other healthcare providers will now be working under the CityMD umbrella, with Kulin transitioning from CEO of Urgent Care Now to becoming medical director of clinical informatics at CityMD.

“My colleagues and I are eager to help CityMD achieve their expansion goals while staying committed to the patients we have been serving for over 15 years,” Kulin said.  “I look forward to this collaboration leading to optimal care for area patients via additional staff, equipment, and diagnostic capabilities.”

CityMD started in 2010, and has over 120 clinic locations in the New York Metro Area to its credit.

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