16 December 2021
As featured in New Zealand Doctor
Tend Health has confirmed another primary care purchase, just days after announcing the acquisition of two Auckland practices.
The app-based and in-person primary care company has acquired the patient base of the Holistic Medical Centre, a ProCare PHO member and general practice in central Auckland. Holistic Medical's website indicates it has four GPs, two naturopaths, an osteopath, an acupuncturist and three psychologists.
Notice to patients
In a notice to Holistic’s patients, which has also been emailed to them, the practice’s website says it is joining Tend, “to ensure we can continue to care for your health”.
“We’ll be working with Tend over the next two weeks to safely transfer your patient records by Friday 24th December 2021.
“A number of our amazing doctors and clinical team will hopefully be joining Tend, so you will get to see the same friendly faces and ensure continuity of your care.”
Monday’s announcement
On Monday, Tend announced it had bought Symonds Street Medical Centre in the Auckland CBD and Pakuranga Medical Centre, a large practice in southeast Auckland.
Tend, after a capital raising that brought in $15 million nearly a year ago, is continuing to look for more practices to buy throughout New Zealand.
The two acquisitions brought to three its number of physical clinics, including the one at its headquarters in Kingsland, Auckland.
Explaining the new purchase
Tend cofounder Cecilia Robinson says Holistic’s lease on its Ponsonby Rd premises was expiring and the business approached Tend.
The purchase involves only the general practice’s patient book and not the practice itself or its advertised non-medical and psychological services which, Mrs Robinson says, were contracted in by Holistic.
She says the naturopathy service predates Tend’s involvement and is not an area of interest for Tend.
“The most important thing for us is the continuity of care for the patients and we are really excited to have the GPs join [Tend] and the nurses as well.”
She declined to say how many patients are on the Holistic register. Nor would she comment on whether Tend, whose existing practices are members of Auckland and East Health PHOs, will contract with ProCare.
“We are still working through those details so it’s just early days yet.
“We’ve got a clinic that’s just around the corner in Kingsland and the intention is that with the current infrastructure being [close] we can incorporate the current patient base into Kingsland…”
Asked if Tend will soon announce yet more primary care purchases, Mrs Robinson says acquisitions are “definitely a core priority for Tend at present”.
About Holistic Medical
Companies Office records indicate Holistic Medical is owned by Salvere Health.
Salvere’s chief executive, Tania Wealleans, declined to comment to New Zealand Doctor Rata Aotearoa, referring enquiries to Tend.
Salvere’s listing on LinkedIn says it was founded in 2015.
“We invest in general practices, providing you with the opportunity to free up to 100 per cent of your equity. If you are considering retirement and want to execute a planned exit strategy or simply want to focus more on medicine and less on business we will ensure continuity of care for your patients.”
It is understood Holistic was its only practice.