NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Sheridan, the Physician Services division of AmSurg Corp. (NASDAQ: AMSG), today announced its acquisition of Premier Emergency Medical Specialists (PEMS), which marks Sheridan's initial entry into the emergency medicine specialty in the Phoenix market and further strengthens AmSurg's overall presence in Arizona. PEMS has 49 physicians providing care in the market and is the exclusive provider of emergency services for two Dignity Health hospitals - Chandler Regional Medical Center and Mercy Gilbert Medical Center.
Dr. Evan Leibner, President and Chief Executive Officer of PEMS, commented, "Premier has a long history of delivering high quality care to the patients who visit our hospital client emergency rooms. We believe that by combining forces with AmSurg-Sheridan, PEMS has found a partner who shares our longstanding commitment to clinical excellence. AmSurg-Sheridan's presence in the greater Phoenix market is complementary to ours, and their commitment to help us grow and enhance our platform is exciting for the future of our organization. They share and will help us maintain our physician-centric culture, and we believe we are now much better positioned for growth and the evolution of healthcare."
Robert Coward, President of Sheridan and Chief Development Officer for AmSurg, added, "We are appreciative of this group's vote of confidence in our operations and our growing Arizona presence. The PEMS emergency group will be the third AmSurg-Sheridan hospital-based specialty in Arizona, joining Sheridan's existing anesthesia and neonatal hospital practices. Our three specialty practices combined serve over 50 Arizona hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers, and we expect to continue growing our Arizona network in the years ahead. This acquisition is part of our ongoing effort to identify and develop relationships with providers in AmSurg Ambulatory Services' core markets who share Sheridan's commitment to best practices and can benefit from our infrastructure and expertise."