As part of the joint venture, FirstHealth and MedQuest, a leading national provider of radiology management services and imaging center joint venture operator, will continue to provide ambulatory diagnostic imaging service offerings at the Southern Pines location.

The center will be renamed FirstHealth Southern Pines Diagnostic Imaging.

“The opportunity to become a partner in a high-quality, well-established imaging center and establish a relationship that can support FirstHealth in driving its ambulatory services strategy was very attractive to us,” says David J. Kilarski, CEO of FirstHealth of the Carolinas.

“The partnership with MedQuest will allow us to combine strengths in ways that benefit patients, physicians and payers in the community.”

MedQuest believes partnering with leading health systems in a community is the best path in many service areas. “We are thrilled to be partners with FirstHealth, which has a longstanding reputation of delivering excellent care in Pinehurst and its other markets,” says MedQuest CEO Bruce Elder.

“All of our goals in the community are enhanced with this partnership, including our ability to engage with local practices, expand access to all patients, and continue the delivery of high-quality diagnostic imaging and patient service.”

MedQuest is a leading owner, operator and manager of diagnostic imaging facilities and hospital radiology services, with a network of nearly 50 imaging centers and 14 acute care hospital radiology departments under management.

Headquartered in Pinehurst, FirstHealth of the Carolinas is a private, not-for-profit health care network with more than 4,700 employees serving 15 counties in the mid-Carolinas.