Ascentist Ear, Nose and Throat and Otologic Center, Inc. Merge

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Nov. 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Ascentist Ear, Nose and Throat (Ascentist) announced today that it had merged with the Otologic Center, Inc. of Kansas City, Missouri. 

The transaction, effective Aug. 1, 2020, further expands Ascentist's position as the largest otolaryngology (ear, nose, and throat) practice in the Kansas City region. The Otologic Center, Inc. becomes a division of Ascentist and continues to practice under its current name and from its current location at 3100 Broadway in Kansas City, Missouri. 

Dr. Robert Cullen, partner of the Otologic Center, Inc., said, "Our groups share a mission to provide the highest-quality, patient-focused care to Kansas, Missouri, and the Greater Kansas City area. The merger with Ascentist Ear, Nose and Throat allows us to partner with our ENT colleagues to provide the very best, comprehensive care to adult and pediatric patients with ear, hearing, balance and skull base disorders, now and in the future. We couldn't be more pleased."

Dr. Joseph Ursick, also partner of the Otologic Center, Inc., said "Our focus at the Otologic Center has always been to provide the highest level of care for patients with ear-related problems. We take pride in providing a personal level of care for all of our patients, whether that involves calling them directly about their test results, taking time to answer questions about their upcoming surgeries or speaking directly to referring physicians. Our merger with Ascentist Ear Nose and Throat allows us to extend our reach to more patients in the Kansas City region while continuing the tradition of individualized care that patients have come to know and trust with us at the Otologic Center."

Ascentist will serve 13 local hospitals and five rural hospitals from 16 locations in the Kansas City region. The combined practice will have over 146 employees, 20 otolaryngology (ENT) physicians. and 17 professionally licensed audiologists serving over 75,000 patient encounters per year.

Dr. Douglas Cowan, CEO of Ascentist, said, "Our merger with the Otologic Center, Inc. makes perfect sense for our patients who need advanced treatments for their ear-related issues. The close collaboration of our 20 physicians helps assure an effective patient experience for all of their ear, nose, and throat needs."

About the Otologic Center, Inc.

The Otologic Center was established in 1985 by Dr. Charles Luetje, a pioneer in the field of cochlear implants and the first neurotologist in Kansas City. Having completed subspecialty fellowship training in otology/neurotology, the physicians of the Otologic Center are able to provide the most advanced medical and surgical treatment solutions for patients with hearing loss, balance problems, and other ear-related disorders. Physician Dr. Robert Cullen and Dr. Joseph Ursick have joined Ascentist Ear, Nose and Throat with the merger. Dr. Bradley Thedinger recently retired after a very distinguished 37-year career.

About Ascentist Ear, Nose and Throat

Ascentist Ear, Nose and Throat is the largest ear, nose, and throat practice in the Kansas City region. In 2018, ENT Associates of Greater Kansas City PC restructured its organization creating Ascentist Ear, Nose and Throat. This is the third corporate merger for the group. In 2015, Ascentist merged with Professional Hearing Center, a local audiology practice owned by Dr. Kelly Spiller, and, in 2019, Ascentist merged with Head and Neck Surgical Associates, a four-physician ear, nose and throat group located in Overland Park, Kansas.

Ascentist Ear, Nose and Throat is not affiliated with Adventist Health System or AdventHealth.

For more information, please contact Ronald G. Booth, Chief Operating Officer, Ascentist Ear, Nose and Throat (www.ascentist.com).

SOURCE Ascentist Ear, Nose and Throat