MU Health Care and Columbia Surgical Associates to affiliate

Columbia Surgical Associates and the University of Missouri Health System will affiliate to expand access to health care for patients in central Missouri, effective Jan. 1, 2015.

MU Health Care employs more than 500 university physicians, including approximately 140 specialty surgeons. Columbia Surgical Associates is comprised of 10 surgeons specializing in general, bariatric, vascular, colorectal and breast cancer surgery, along with 35 other health professionals, support and administrative staff.

“Health care today requires collaboration across multiple hospitals and clinics, medical specialists and geographic boundaries,” said Mitch Wasden, MU Health Care chief executive officer and chief operating officer. “During the past 18 months, Columbia Surgical Associates and the MU Health System have been discussing ways we could work together to advance health care in central Missouri.”

Columbia Surgical Associates has provided surgical care in central Missouri for more than 50 years. Its founder, E.J. “Jack” Schewe Jr., completed his surgical training at Ellis Fischel State Cancer Hospital and served as chief surgeon at Ellis from 1956 to 1961.

“Columbia Surgical Associates and MU Health Care share a common mission of providing world-class, patient-centered care,” said Walter Peters, president and senior partner of Columbia Surgical Associates. “In this new affiliation, Columbia Surgical Associates and MU Health Care will be collaborating on patient-centered care across patient populations and surgical specialties.” CSA physicians perform many surgical procedures at Boone Hospital Center. The new affiliation means they will also have privileges at University Hospital, MU Women’s and Children’s Hospital and other MU Health Care facilities.

“For years, Columbia’s health care community has discussed ways to build bridges between community and university physicians and strengthen Columbia’s position as a destination for excellent surgical care,” Peters said. “Today’s announcement is historic because of this groundbreaking ‘town-gown’ affiliation. It will benefit CSA patients, who will now have more choices about where they want to receive care.”