MEDNAX acquires Wilmington Maternal-Fetal Medicine

MEDNAX, Inc., (NYSE: MD) today announced the acquisition of a maternal-fetal medicine physician group based in Wilmington, NC.

Wilmington Maternal-Fetal Medicine, PLLC, consists of two maternal-fetal medicine physicians and 12 clinical support staff who provide care to expectant mothers, including the management of high-risk and complicated pregnancies, throughout 10 counties in southeast North Carolina and northeast South Carolina. Wilmington Maternal-Fetal Medicine has two office locations and a long-term relationship with New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, NC.

The physicians will practice as part of MEDNAX's Pediatrix Medical Group, a national medical group that comprises the nation's leading provider of neonatal, maternal-fetal medicine and pediatric cardiology physicians, as well as other pediatric subspecialists.

"Our practice has provided care for thousands of pregnant women in the communities that we serve in North and South Carolina, and we believe that becoming part of a national group practice will give us the support necessary to grow and expand our services while continuing to deliver the highest quality patient care," said Lydia Wright, M.D., who will serve as medical director for the practice. "Furthermore, we are very excited to be joining a physician group that is on the cutting edge of improving patient care through research programs and clinical quality initiatives that focus on collaborating with physicians around the country and applying best practices, to help achieve the best possible outcomes for patients and their families."

MEDNAX paid cash for the practice, and the transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to its earnings. No additional terms of the transaction were disclosed.

Through its American Anesthesiology division, MEDNAX provides anesthesiology services at two hospitals in Wilmington, including New Hanover Regional Medical Center, as well as two ambulatory surgery centers in that metropolitan area, as a result of a physician group practice acquisition completed in December 2009.

With this acquisition, 12 physician group practices have become part of Pediatrix Medical Group and American Anesthesiology during 2010.