IPC The Hospitalist Company, Inc. will provide hospitalist services to four Methodist Healthcare System hospitals in San Antonio under a new agreement. Methodist Healthcare System is jointly owned and operated by Methodist Healthcare Ministries and HCA Corp. of Nashville, one of the country’s largest health care providers. IPC is a leading physician practice management company specializing in providing hospitalist services. The North Hollywood-based publicly owned company had $457 million in revenue last year. The agreements, which formalize the practices IPC already had in place, are with Methodist Stone Oak Hospital and the Methodist Hospital campuses of Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital, Northeast Methodist Hospital, and Metropolitan Methodist Hospital. IPC already has a contract with Methodist Hospital, the flagship facility of the Methodist Healthcare System. “In addition to shoring up our commitment to providing patients with excellent healthcare and the best possible hospital experience, we’re focusing on aligning with the hospitals’ goals — including providing 24/7 call coverage,” Jay Evans, executive director for IPC’s San Antonio region said in a prepared statement. He said IPC’s resources, including its “IPC-Link” practice management system, will help improve the quality and continuity of patient care. At the same time, physicians will be able to make full use of Methodists’ ‘One Call’ Patient Placement Center, which optimizes bed utilization. Judy Temes