IPC The Hospitalist Company, Inc. of North Hollywood announced today its expansion into the Northwestern U.S. The hospitalist physician group practice acquired Hospitalist Specialists, PLLC, headquartered in Spokane, Wash. Hospital Specialists operates practices in both Spokane and Coeur D’Alene, Idaho. The practices represent a combined annualized volume of approximately 40,000 patient encounters. “This acquisition represents IPC’s first venture in the Northwestern part of the U.S,” said Dr. Adam Singer, chairman and CEO of IPC, in a statement. “We look forward to providing this practice with the financial, operational and management resources that IPC offers its physicians in order to serve their patients and hospital partners with efficient and cost-effective high-quality inpatient care.” Dr. Bob Zurcher, CEO of Hospitalist Specialists, will remain with the group under IPC as regional director. “Given the uncertainties and demands of the evolving healthcare environment, our practice group felt it was important to look for a partner who could provide us with the right balance of autonomy and support,” Dr. Zurcher stated. “With IPC, we are in a far better position to meet the complex needs of our hospital partners, while continuing to expand our relationships with primary care physicians and specialists in the communities we serve.”