Meritas Health Acquires Northland Anesthesiology

Meritas Health, a subsidiary of North Kansas City Hospital, acquired Northland Anesthesiology. The acquisition was effective Jan. 1, 2020, and the practice now operates under Meritas Health Anesthesiology.

“North Kansas City Hospital has worked with this anesthesia group for many years, and the practice’s anesthesiologists, certified nurse anesthetists and other staff continue their unending commitment to provide our patients with exemplary anesthesia care,” said NKCH Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Kerri Jenkins. “By joining Meritas Health, the group gains the administrative, financial and technological support they otherwise could not attain.”

For Joseph A. Taylor, MD, an anesthesiologist and member of the practice’s executive committee, the acquisition allows him to focus more on patient care. 

Pointing to administrative and income challenges affecting private practices, Dr. Taylor said, “Over the last several years, human resource and payer mix issues, for example, have become more complicated. Now that we are fully employed, we can focus on patient care, maintain equitable pay and benefits for our employees, and have greater market power.”

Meritas Health Executive Linda Coventon said the addition of Meritas Health Anesthesiology will bring market strength to Meritas Health and North Kansas City Hospital.

“This acquisition makes us more unified as we endeavor to reduce costs, improve quality of care, increase efficiency and respond to value-based care,” Coventon said.

Meritas Health Anesthesiology’s 12 physicians and 50 full- and part-time CRNAs provide a range of preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative anesthesia care for acute pain. In addition to Dr. Taylor, Benjamin J. Newell, MD; Charles H. Vossler III, MD; and Gregory D. Widrig, MD, are also members of the practice’s executive committee.

“It’s been a few months since we were acquired, and there has not been one downside,” Dr. Taylor added. “I’m appreciative of the support from North Kansas City Hospital and Meritas Health. It’s been a relief to know others are taking care of the business demands, and I can focus on giving good healthcare.”

Joseph A. Taylor, MD

Dr. Taylor earned his medical degree from the University of Missouri. He was an internal medicine resident at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine and then an anesthesiology resident at the University of Missouri-Columbia.