Illinois Gastroenterology Institute (IGI) Joins GI Alliance

DALLAS, TX – July 21, 2020 – GI Alliance, the nation’s largest independent gastroenterology services organization, today announced further expansion in the Midwest and Illinois through a partnership with Illinois Gastroenterology Institute (IGI). GI Alliance (GIA) established its presence in the Midwest in July 2019 with its initial partnership with Illinois Gastroenterology Group (IGG) in the Greater Chicago Area and now represents over 350 gastroenterologists across six states. Headquartered in Peoria, IL and founded in 1987, IGI has grown into the second-largest independent gastroenterology practice in Illinois and the largest practice south of the Greater Chicago Area. IGI provides comprehensive digestive and liver care with a team of 9 gastroenterologists and 4 advanced-level providers, as well as infusion and anesthesia services. Alongside its affiliated physicians, GIA also invested in Central Illinois Endoscopy Center (CIEC), which will remain majority-owned by physicians and GIA. CIEC is the largest endoscopy center in Central/Southern Illinois, providing high-quality, affordable gastrointestinal care to patients over a wide catchment area. “We are pleased to resume our 2020 expansion strategy, even during these unprecedented times and the continuing COVID-19 health crisis. This new partnership between GI Alliance and IGI is the first of several in Illinois that we expect to close over the coming months, expanding our offering of best-in-class gastroenterology care in the Midwest,” said Dr. Jim Weber, CEO of GI Alliance. "This partnership brings together the formidable capabilities and resources of GI Alliance, IGG, and IGI. Our goal is to continue to improve the overall patient experience while expanding the population of patients in Illinois to whom we provide world-class digestive healthcare,” said Dr. Ken Camacho, President of IGI. Dr. Mitch Bernsen, President of IGG, said “We are excited to work collaboratively with IGI as an affiliated practice of GIA. We partner with like-minded practices that embrace empowering physicians in advancing the field of gastroenterology to save more lives. High-quality patient care is and will always be our top priority.”

About GI Alliance

GI Alliance is a physician-led and majority physician-owned GI services organization supporting the needs of more than 350 independent gastroenterologists operating in Texas, Louisiana, Illinois, Arizona, Indiana, and Arkansas. GI practices that are part of the GI Alliance are focused on providing the highest-quality care to their patients. In addition to providing operational support for practices, GI Alliance is working to unite gastroenterologists nationwide to align interests and improve the quality of care for patients. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Shannon Brush / GI Alliance [email protected] (817) 402-7562 www.gialliance.com