NASHVILLE, TN – The Hospitalists Management Group and Cogent Healthcare have closed on a deal, announced in April, that merges the two companies. This combination forms the largest private hospitalist company in the United States, with nearly 1,000 affiliated hospitalists and extenders practicing in more than 100 healthcare facilities nationwide.

The new company will be called Cogent-HMG and will be headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., with offices in Canton, Ohio.

“We are eager to begin the actual process of joining forces with HMG,” said former Cogent CEO Gene Fleming, who will become the full-time executive chairman of the new company.

[See also: Hospitalist management companies merge to form largest private firm.]

HMG has focused on partnering with small- to medium-sized hospitals in suburban and rural markets, while Cogent has concentrated on partnering with medium- to large-sized hospitals. Both companies have developed custom hospital medicine solutions with a hospital-centric partnering approach.

“Individually, both companies are well-respected in the field of hospital medicine,” said former HMG CEO Stephen Houff, who will become CEO of the combined company. “Combined, we will have a stronger platform from which to meet the evolving needs of the hospitals nationwide, especially as they face the demands of healthcare reform.”

The value of the transaction was not disclosed.