EDG Partners Invests in Pioneering Provider of Integrated Care

ATLANTA, June 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- EDG Partners announced today a growth equity investment in Unity Physician Partners, a provider of integrated healthcare clinics focused on whole health and collaborative treatment.  With years of experience in physical health, managed care, and practice management, Unity Physician Partners founders Michael Bailey, James Geraughty, and Jeff Bogle saw a disconnect between the treatment of physical and mental healthcare.  By creating an environment in which primary care and mental health providers operate within a collaborative and co-located clinical model, Unity Physician Partners is able to improve the outcomes for a traditionally high-risk patient base.

"This investment is representative of EDG's history of supporting strong management teams and organizations driving innovation that provide patients with high quality care, while reducing costs within the overall healthcare system," said EDG Partners Managing Director Alan Dahl.   

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, individuals living with serious mental illness face an increased risk of having chronic medical conditions and have a life expectancy of 25 years shorter than those without behavioral health concerns.  This is largely due to treatable, chronic medical conditions like heart disease and diabetes.  To address this challenge, Unity Physician Partners created a unique joint venture with Centerstone, the nation's largest provider of community-based behavioral healthcare services, aligning the appropriate and accessible clinical support for stronger health management.

EDG's investment, completed in partnership with the Nashville Capital Network (NCN) and its Tennessee Angel Fund, will support Unity Physician Partners' and Centerstone's goal of establishing a national model of integrated care, a longstanding and unmet need in healthcare.

"Unity sought partners in EDG and NCN who understand the changing environment of healthcare and what it means to support a growing company," said Mr. Bailey, CEO of Unity Physician Partners. "Their investment and Centerstone's infrastructure will allow us to immediately scale to achieve our mission to improve patient outcomes through enhanced provider collaboration."

For more than 50 years, Centerstone, a non-profit organization, has provided services to people with mental illness and substance abuse disorders.  The organization employs more than 1,800 people in 130 facilities across Indiana and Tennessee.

"Centerstone has a long history of improving the lives of thousands of individuals.  We know the vital connection between physical and mental health, and that, for decades, primary care and mental health providers have not effectively collaborated," said David C. Guth, Jr., Centerstone CEO. "Partnering with Unity and EDG will allow us to eliminate this disconnect, creating a bridge that allows primary care and mental health providers to work together to improve the overall health of our patients.  Our mission is to eliminate this disparity in care."

About Unity Physician Partners, Inc.
Unity Physician Partners, Inc. offers primary care-based medical and ancillary healthcare services as the provider of choice for patients, physicians and communities.  Through its integrated services and person-centered system of care, Unity Physician Partners employs a holistic approach to improving the quality of patient care and lowering healthcare costs.  The formation of Unity brought together extensive managed care and provider based experience with its three key executives being founders and/or executives of Windsor Health Plan, HealthSpring, MedSolutions, and Surgical Care Affiliates.  Together, the team they form creates a strong foundation for providing care to the underserved patients with behavioral and primary healthcare needs.

About Centerstone
Centerstone, a not-for-profit organization, is one of the nation's largest providers of community-based behavioral healthcare.  It provides a full range of mental health, addiction and related educational services to more than 75,000 individuals of all ages each year.  The organization has nearly 130 facilities and 220 partnership locations throughout Indiana and Tennessee. It also operates Centerstone Foundation, Centerstone Research Institute, Advantage Behavioral Health, Not Alone, and Centerstone Health Partners.  For more information about Centerstone, please visit www.centerstone.org.     

About EDG Partners
EDG Partners is a private equity firm that provides capital, expertise, and relationships to enable small and middle market healthcare companies to achieve their potential.  With considerable investment and operating experience, EDG partners with management teams to navigate the critical inflection points that accompany growth.  EDG Partners delivers exceptional value by helping to build exceptional companies.  For more information, please visit www.edgpartners.com. 

About Nashville Capital Network
Nashville Capital Network accelerates the development of early stage companies by nurturing the most promising entrepreneurs and connecting them with knowledgeable, experienced investors. NCN has cultivated a network of qualified and committed angel investors who have invested more than $36 million in Tennessee-based companies. Additionally, NCN manages the NCN Angel Fund and the TNInvestco Tennessee Angel Fund. For more information about Nashville Capital Network, visit www.nashvillecapital.com.

Media Contacts
EDG Partners: Alan Dahladahl@edgpartners.com (770) 453-8012
Unity Physician Partners: Michael Baileymbailey@upptn.com (615) 595-8383

SOURCE EDG Partners