Cuesta Medical Group purchased by Dignity Health affiliate

Cuesta Medical Group — one of San Luis Obispo County's oldest and largest primary care groups — was recently bought by Pacific Central Coast Health Centers, a wholly-owned affiliate of Dignity Health. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The move will bring the care group's 16 physicians and nurse practitioners into the Dignity Health network and will provide the group's 30,000 patients with increased access to French Hospital Medical Center in San Luis Obispo, also owned by Dignity Health, according to Alan Iftiniuk, chief executive officer and president of French Hospital.

Patients will continue to be referred to whichever hospital in the area will best fit their needs, Iftiniuk said, though priority will be given to French Hospital if multiple health care providers in the area could provide the same level of care.

Because the medical group has a larger presence in North County and the city of San Luis Obispo, Arroyo Grande Community Hospital, also owned by Dignity Health, will not be significantly impacted by the deal.

Iftinuik said costs to patients will remain the same as they are now, though he hopes to reduce those costs in the long run by expanding education and outreach, which would theoretically decrease the number of people needing expensive hospital treatments. This could significantly lower health insurance costs to patients, he said.

Patients last week were notified via mail or email of the change.

Cuesta Medical Group will continue to operate its two offices in San Luis Obispo and its offices in Atascadero, Los Osos and Templeton, Iftinuik said. It will add an additional office in San Luis Obispo across from French Hospital.

Counting Cuesta Medical Group, Pacific Central Coast Health Centers includes 28 clinics and health centers from Templeton to Lompoc.

This story was originally published February 16, 2015 at 5:09 PM with the headline "Cuesta Medical Group purchased by Dignity Health affiliate."