Experienced Physician Launches New AA&A Location in Athens
After 27 years of starting and operating his own practice in Greenwood, South Carolina, Steven Gottlieb, DO, began to think that being an employed physician might have some benefits for his lifestyle. He heard about SENTA Partners from a friend—and he connected with SENTA executives to hear what each might offer the other.
Dr. Gottlieb
SENTA wanted a doctor who had the experience and knowledge to open a new practice in Athens, Georgia. In addition, Dr. Gottlieb has a stellar reputation as an expert in environmental allergies and food and drug allergies.
Dr. Gottlieb adds that this is a smart move for SENTA and Atlanta Allergy & Asthma (AA&A), expanding its footprint in Athens and the rapidly expanding communities around it. That expansion allows patients who previously needed to drive to Atlanta to see AA&A doctors (and there were a large number) to stay a little closer to home.
He says that he’s been highly impressed by the caliber of the AA&A team, having spent some time on the phone with David Tanner, MD, and David Carlton, MD, and feeling like he identified with like-minded colleagues. He was similarly swayed by the professionalism of the SENTA executives he talked with, including COO Len Schiavone and Allergy Division Executive Director Scott McCutcheon. “I was very comfortable with everyone from SENTA. It has made me feel very confident with this choice.”
The practice is expected to be open and seeing patients in early February.
SENTA Expands Into North Carolina With the Addition of ENT Carolina
Adding ENT Carolina into the SENTA Partners family brings a new dimension to the organization: a presence in North Carolina. Frederic Levy, MD; Mark Reiber, MD; Michael Gaslin, MD; Luna Bailey, MD; and Joshua Yelverton, MD, are the five physician owners who made the decision to become the organization’s newest affiliation and platform group in North Carolina.
(l-r): Dr. Levy, Dr. Reiber, Dr. Gaslin, Dr. Bailey, and Dr. Yelverton
Dr. Levy explains that the practice started in 1991. He joined in 1994, after a few years in academic medicine at Northwestern University, becoming president and CEO in 2006 of the practice when the founding partner, Kevin Weiss, MD, passed away suddenly. The practice, located in the western side of the Charlotte metro area, grew quickly, expanding from one to three offices within a year. ENT Carolina has maintained five to six physicians, four audiologists, a PA or two and about 50 employees.
The practice celebrated its 30th anniversary in July 2021. “However, for five years we had been looking for alternative management strategies,” Dr. Levy says, noting that the administration of medical practices has become more challenging over the years. “Audits, regulations, mandates and deliberate patterns of claim denials, all on top of fee schedule reductions, create a hostile and complicated business environment.” The COVID pandemic helped crystallize the focus on finding a more sustainable future—which is precisely what he and the other physicians in the practice feel they have found with SENTA. SENTA was at least the tenth organization, including major health care systems, with which they had spoken.
“What appealed to us about Shore Capital and SENTA Partners was that the focus was not just to build EBIDTA but to build a sustainable, quality medical practice.” Dr. Levy says. “We looked at five different private equity-backed options; SENTA clearly had the best people and a well-developed administrative team.” Another major factor in the decision was the quality and commitment of physicians already in the network. “I had two insightful hour-long talks with Shatul Parikh, MD, partner in Northwest ENT and founding member of SENTA; these were greatly appreciated.”
In addition, he says, “Adam Low, CEO, has become a friend (and new running partner). We also must recognize Rob DeMyers, Zack Usilton, Melissa Grooms, Len Schiavone, Tatiana Sycheva-Johnson, Andrew Butler and, of course, Justin Ishbia, founder of Shore Capital, among many others.” The process was fast. “Once we all determined we were going to do this, the time between our letter of intent and closure was 92 days.” The acquisition deal closed on December 30, 2021. When Dr. Levy walked into the office at the start of the new year, “I felt lighter and happier. The burden of the administrative weight was off my shoulders,” he says. “We are able to continue serving our community, caring for and employing our neighbors. The culture at SENTA is to help us grow, offer more services and provide even better care. Our destiny is better for us as a part of SENTA.”
Meet the Doctors
Luna Bailey, MD, a native of the U.S. Virgin Islands, is a general otolaryngologist and also dedicates her time to serve with Dream Ministries, a local mission team from Shelby, North Carolina. She has served on numerous medical mission trips. As a creative sideline, she is a highly respected artisan cake-baker. Check out https://www.cakesandbakescharlotte.com to see her work. Dr. Bailey recently concluded her term as chief of staff at Atrium Cleveland Medical Center.
Dr. Bailey
Michael Gaslin, MD, joined the practice in 2009. An Ivy League graduate, he is the techno guru of ENT Carolina, whose skills have enabled the practice to maximize efficiencies and extract important metrics and trends from its Greenway EMR system. He recently concluded his term as chief of staff at CaroMont Regional Medical Center. He plays piano, cooks and enjoys the time he can spend with his family and the family pets.
Dr. Gaslin
Dr. Levy shared a story about Mark Reiber, MD, who joined ENT Carolina after practicing in Tennessee. In mid-2006, Dr. Reiber, having accepted an employment offer from ENT Carolina, came to town to look for a house for his family and expected to return home the next day. The timing was tragic; senior partner Dr. Weiss contracted meningitis and died in the early morning of Dr. Reiber’s arrival. When Dr. Levy went into surgery that day, after staying up all night with the Weiss family, he knew he’d be covering for his friend and partner—and completed 10 surgical cases of his own and five for Dr. Weiss. He returned to the office where there was “a hallway-long line of employees so each person could give me a hug as I walked in,” Dr. Levy says. “It’s not every day that I get hugs from 30 employees when I walk in after surgery!” At the end of the hall was Mark Reiber, realizing that something had happened. When told of what happened, without missing a beat, Dr. Reiber, who fortunately had already been credentialed with payors, said, “‘I won’t go back to Tennessee now. I’ll stay and start seeing his patients tomorrow.’ He instantly assessed our challenge and stepped in, walking into the busiest, most chaotic schedule on his first day,” says Dr. Levy. Dr. Reiber personifies hard work and is a team player extraordinaire.
Dr. Reiber
Joshua Yelverton, MD, is the most recent physician to the practice. Proud to hail from South Georgia, he completed a post residency fellowship in complex sinus and skull base surgery at Georgia Regents University in Augusta. Dr. Yelverton is happy to join SENTA, a Georgia-based organization. Dr. Yelverton also is skilled at head and neck surgery, salivary gland diseases, voice, and pediatric otolaryngology. His wife Fielding, an attorney, was born and raised in Cherryville, North Carolina. Generations of her family have lived there, located in Gaston County, equidistant from ENT Carolina’s two main offices. Of all options in the country, Dr. Yelverton singled out ENT Carolina as his number one choice in which to practice. He’s a fan of University of Georgia football and Duke University basketball.
Dr. Yelverton
Frederic Levy, MD, a Chicago, Illinois, native, still roots for the home teams. He runs over 50 miles per week, completing about 15 races, including five marathons, a year. He has competed in over 90 marathons (including 12 Boston Marathons), 100 triathlons and has participated in races in six countries. A proud father of Owen, a UNC graduate, and Meredith, a senior at Appalachian State University, he’s also a musician and has played bass guitar since he was 15. He’s been a member of various bands and is currently in a classic rock band, Sonic Tonsil.
Dr. Levy
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