HopeHealth buys 40-year-old pediatric practice to widen Pee Dee care

What's the deal? HopeHealthDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has acquired Eastern Carolina Pediatric Associates (ECPA)Dealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a pediatric practice serving families across South Carolina's Pee Dee region for more than 40 years. The deal, announced in September 2026, brings ECPA's providers, nurses, and staff into HopeHealth's network. Terms were not disclosed.

What each side brings: ECPA, founded by Dr. Richard Davis and Dr. John Keith, is a longstanding pediatric practice in Florence and Darlington counties. HopeHealth is expanding its footprint in children's health care across the region.

What's the rationale? The acquisition widens access to pediatric care in Florence and Darlington counties. HopeHealth says it will preserve the provider relationships families have built over decades.

What changes for patients? Patients will continue seeing their familiar providers, with the practice folded into HopeHealth's network. The company promises "minimal disruption" during the transition.

The signal: The deal reflects the steady consolidation of independent medical practices into larger health networks, a trend reshaping how care is delivered in smaller regional markets.

Read more: independenttribune.com

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