Columbia Surgical Associates and the University of Missouri health system to affiliate

The Columbia Surgical Associates and the University of Missouri Health System announced Monday they are affiliating.

This allows the two groups to share information and collaborate around joint treatment protocols.

The collaboration will improve health care for patients in Mid-Missouri giving them more access to physicians and where they want to receive care.

“This affiliation will allow our patients more options at the same time we hope to strengthen Columbia as a destination to seek surgical care,” said Walter Peters, M.D., and president of Columbia Surgical Associates.

Currently, CSA physicians perform surgeries at Boone Hospital Center.

Soon patients will have the option to receive care at University Hospital and other MU facilities.

Mitch Wasden, MU Health Care chief executive officer said this has been in the works for the last 18 months.

“Part of this comes from the changes that we have seen in health care with the Affordable Care Act. Trying to get community physicians and other large academic medical centers working closer together so when we go to payers and to patients we can show them the value we are bringing,” said Wasden.

The affiliation will officially begin Jan. 1.