Rockford and Crystal Lake to Merge

Rockford Orthopedic Associates and Crystal Lake Orthopedics, two specialty health care organizations in northern Illinois, have announced their intent to merge and have entered into a due diligence process. The merger is slated to be completed in the fall of 2013, after which time the organizations will utilize their combined resources to expand their subspecialty services offered to patients.

Each clinic will be recruiting skilled staff and physicians, improving technology and enhancing customer service. Both parties indicated that the merger will also help the organizations expand subspecialty services to residents in the entire northern Illinois region. While Crystal Lake Orthopedics will be merged into Rockford Orthopedic Associates, the clinic name will not change. Current providers will also remain in Crystal Lake so there will be no disruption in patient care. The physicians at Crystal Lake Orthopedics will also maintain their current hospital privilege designation and call coverage.

Ed Grogg, CEO of Crystal Lake Orthopedics told OTW, “Our first few steps include due diligence work on the legal side of the merger. Also, bringing leadership together from both entities to work through the operation challenges. The biggest challenges are keeping organized with all the issues that need [to be] addressed and proceeding forward without disrupting current operations. Both Crystal Lake Orthopedics and Rockford Orthopedic Associates still have to run practices and make sure our physicians and employees don’t lose focus.”

After the merger is finalized, Grogg will continue in a leadership role as the new Chief Operating Officer and will maintain his office in Crystal Lake to provide oversight of daily operations.

Don Schreiner, CEO of Rockford Orthopedic Associates commented to OTW, “In addition to bringing leadership together to work through detailed due diligence review we need to methodically layout our post-merger implementation activities including streamlining business operations, staff integration, facilities planning, and provider recruitment. We must immediately begin to blend the corporate culture for physicians, mid-level providers, and staff and define who we want to be.”