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PHOENIX—American Vision Partners (AVP), one of the largest and fastest-growing eyecare physician practice management organizations, has completed a strategic partnership with Retinal Consultants of Arizona (RCA), the largest retina provider in the Southwest, according to a recent announcement. This partnership creates the fourth-largest retina practice in the nation, the announcement noted. The affiliation with Retinal Consultants of Arizona represents the eighth partnership announced by AVP within the last 24 months, according to the management organization. Retinal Consultants of Arizona will continue to operate independently under the RCA brand and manage the practice with no changes to its staff, physicians, clinics, and surgery center locations, according to the announcement. With the full support of the AVP management team and infrastructure, the nine RCA physicians and staff will continue to serve their patients, communities and partners.

For approximately 40 years, RCA has offered first-class expertise in the treatment of diseases of the retina, macula, and vitreous to patients across five Phoenix metro clinics and two ambulatory surgery centers. An additional 25 satellite offices enable RCA to provide care in medically underserved areas.

“Our primary aim at RCA has always been to deliver exceptional medical and surgical retinal care, combined with an outstanding patient experience,” Dr. Pravin Dugel, co-managing partner of RCA, said in the announcement. “To further build upon this mission in a rapidly changing health care environment, we have partnered with American Vision Partners to help us expand our administrative and organizational structures.”

“This partnership will combine the strengths of RCA’s specialty focus in retina with the formidable platform of AVP to help us deliver the best ophthalmology care in the nation,” added Dr. Derek Kunimoto, co-managing partner of RCA. “We are all committed to clinical excellence for our patients, increasing access to care, and providing our employees with opportunities for personal and professional growth.”

Kyle A. Bohannon, AVP’s president and chief executive officer, said the organization is excited to partner with the RCA team “as we continue to develop a premier network of medical and surgical eyecare services in Arizona and throughout the Southwest. He added, “Through this partnership, RCA patients will benefit from the most robust infrastructure in the industry, which aligns with the exceptional care provided by the RCA physicians. These collective efforts will also accelerate the growth of RCA’s leading clinical research practice, which will benefit from a combination with AVP’s patients, physicians and clinics.”

AVP, a portfolio company of H.I.G. Capital, was established in April 2017 with the affiliation of Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center and Southwestern Eye Center.

“It is very exciting to expand the AVP retina practice through this partnership with such high-quality and well-respected physicians,” said Jordan Graff, MD, of Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center. “The RCA doctors will be great additions to our current team of AVP retina specialists.”

AVP serves communities throughout Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada with more than 120 doctors and 61 locations, including 22 ambulatory surgical centers and 25 satellite clinics. The group has partnered with the most respected ophthalmology practices in the country, including Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center, Southwestern Eye Center, M&M Eye Institute and Abrams Eye Institute.