NuHealth Announces Acquisition of South Ocean Care, LLC

Dr. Arthur Gianelli, the president and CEO of the NuHealth System, which funds the , recently announced the acquisition of a majority ownership interest in South Ocean Care, LLC, and its first ever system wide expansion, by entering into a clinical partnership with South Ocean Care, LLC, a South Shore community health provider located in Freeport.

"I am very excited to announce our acquisition of South Ocean Care, LLC, an acquisition that represents the first ever expansion of our primary care services, with a high quality and well regarded health care provider led by Mark Raifman, MD, helping to better position the NuHealth System for health reform," Gianelli said. "The acquisition of South Ocean Care, LLC, is important to the future of the NuHealth System, because expanding our primary care base, much like clinical integration is an important strategy to prepare for health reform.

Established in 2002 under the medical leadership of Mark Raifman, MD, South Ocean Care has been dedicated to caring for the underserved and elderly throughout South Nassau Communities, providing primary care services for the entire family. In addition South Ocean Care has many medical services at its location in Freeport, including: dentistry, cardiology, allergy and asthma care, podiatry, gynecology, optometry, ophthalmology, nutrition, gastroenterology services, physiatry and physical therapy.

Dr. Raifman, a pediatrician by trade, has managed and operated diagnostic and treatment centers and private physician management services since 1994 throughout various parts of New York and most recently since 2002 in Freeport.

"We are delighted to partner with the NuHealth System," Raifman said. "This clinical partnership between the NuHealth System and South Ocean Care will permit our medical specialty services to expand and allow others to develop, an essential step in ensuring that our high quality clinical services are provided in the patients' community, close to home."

According to Gianelli, one of health reform's implications will be that hospitals and physicians will need to achieve considerable functional alignment through networks, joint ventures, partnerships and employment models in order to enhance quality and effectively manage the care of populations of patients across care settings:

"South Ocean Care's primary service areas, including Valley Stream, Franklin Square, Oceanside, Island Park, Bellmore, Baldwin and Wantagh will compliment our service areas of Westbury, Hempstead, Elmont and Roosevelt and will be extremely helpful as we strengthen our role as a major primary service provider throughout Nassau County and solidify our position to better serve our patients under health reform," Gianelli added.