600-physician medical group affiliates with Northwell

Northwell Health said Tuesday it is joining forces with CareMount, a Chappaqua-based independent medical group with 45 locations and over 600 physicians in Manhattan and the Hudson Valley.

Officials at Northwell said the move is not a merger but rather a “clinical affiliation agreement” that allows both companies and their patients to share resources. It goes into effect Jan. 1.

CareMount is owned by its practicing physicians and operates eight urgent care centers, clinical laboratories and radiology services along with endoscopy suites and infusion suites. Prior to a name change in 2016 it was known as Mount Kisco Medical Group.

The arrangement helps extend Northwell’s reach into Putnam, Dutchess, Columbia and Ulster counties where CareMount has some of its facilities.

This is not the first time the two health care firms have collaborated. CareMount physicians are affiliated with Northern Westchester Hospital, which is part of the Northwell system.

“This new collaboration with Northwell represents a significant strategic step in CareMount’s focus to deliver coordinated, high quality care that improves the patient’s experience and health while lowering overall health care costs,” said Dr. Scott Hayworth, president and CEO of CareMount.

As part of the agreement, clinicians from CareMount will have clinical faculty appointments at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell.

Northwell Health, based in New Hyde Park, is the state’s largest private employer with 70,000 employees. Its system includes 23 hospitals and about 750 outpatient facilities.