Hospital inks deal with new radiology practice

SARASOTA — One of the larger radiology practices on the Gulf Coast, Radiology Associates of Florida, signed a partnership with Sarasota Memorial Hospital.

Radiology Associates of Florida, founded in 1970, will begin providing services to SMH June 1, according to a release. The group is the exclusive radiology practice for Tampa General Hospital, which, like SMH, is a nonprofit community medical facility. The practice is also the primary teaching faculty for University of South Florida's radiology department.

The group recently expanded its team to prepare for the SMH contract. Now the practice has 46 board-certified radiologists, with 16 dedicated to SMH, according to the statement. The Sarasota group, the release adds, will cover 11 sub-specialties, including pediatric and neuro-interventional work. The practice will also help the hospital control costs, officials say.

“Radiology Associates of Florida is excited to begin this new partnership with Sarasota Memorial,” says Dr. Gregg Baran, who was named medical director of SMH's radiology department, in a release. “We have provided high-quality radiology services at Tampa General Hospital for over 40 years, and will bring to Sarasota state-of-the-art radiology services, with coverage in all radiology subspecialties.” 

Sarasota Memorial, an 806-bed hospital that sees more than 800,000 patients a year, reviewed radiology practice proposals for several months before it selected Radiology Associates of Florida.