Audax Private Equity-backed Global Nephrology Solutions (GNS), one of the largest physician-led and physician-owned kidney care platforms in the United States, has added six senior executives to its team.
The expanded leadership team will accelerate the scaling of the company’s best-in-class kidney care delivery platform that puts nephrologists and patients at the centre of care. In January 2021, GNS announced a partnership with Audax Private Equity (Audax) when the platform included more than 315 providers and 700 employees providing the complete continuum of kidney care across 10 states to over 170,000 patients. The GNS value-based care delivery platform is driven by proprietary, predictive data analytics and clinical workflows underpinned by one of the world’s largest clinical chronic kidney disease (CKD) data warehouses that enables nephrologists to deliver better patient outcomes and value-based care. Building on its deep value-based experience with and participation in CMMI ESCO models, on 1 January, 2022, GNS will launch CKCC value-based operations in four markets with over 10,000 covered lives, representing over USD600 million of medical expense under management.
Since onboarding the new team, GNS has quickly moved to expand its operations in existing markets by adding four new practices across Florida, Texas, and California, bringing the total number of providers to over 350. The four new practices serve over 20,000 patients.
The organisation seeks to rapidly grow its reach in the next 12 months to advance its pursuit of the quadruple aim of delivering cost-effective care, improving patient outcomes, and enhancing both the patient and physician experience.
“Our platform is being validated by nephrologists in the market. We have a very robust pipeline of practices in new and existing markets that want to join our nephrologist-led platform. With new leadership team members in place, we are increasingly able to forge partnerships and integrate these practices and serve our growing platform,” says Rajiv Poduval, MD, FASN, Founding Chief Executive Officer of Global Nephrology Solutions.
The new team members are:
• Nikos Nikolopoulos, Chief Growth Officer – Nikolopoulos brings more than 25 years of experience in corporate growth and business line operations in multiple sectors including healthcare, technology, B2B and retail. He has deep experience in corporate development, strategy, M&A, sales & marketing, business transformation, law, government affairs, IT and operations at both large publicly traded companies, as well as fast growing venture-backed companies. Nikolopoulos holds degrees in electrical engineering and law. As Chief Growth Officer, Nikolopoulos oversees all GNS growth initiatives and operations as well as legal, marketing and IT infrastructure. Prior to GNS, Nikolopoulos served as EVP, Strategy, Growth and IT at MEDNAX Inc. (MD: NYSE), the largest publicly traded physician services company, and prior to that as SVP Strategy, Corporate Development and Marketing at Avaya Inc. (AVYA: NYSE).
• Guy Seay, Chief Financial Officer – Seay has deep experience in the renal care industry. Working with DaVita Kidney Care for more than 20 years, he served in a multitude of roles with the organization including Vice President of Finance, CFO of DaVita’s Dialysis Division, CFO of DaVita’s Medical Group/HCP California, and later as Group Vice President of Finance International. Seay also previously served on DaVita India’s Board of Directors.
• Nick Carlucci, Vice President of Growth Operations – Carlucci joins GNS with more than a decade of experience in renal care services. He was most recently American Renal Associates’ Vice President of Financial Operations and Corporate Development.
• Rocky Chanana, Vice President of Business Development – Chanana has more than 10 years of experience in the financial services industry where he advised on over 25 transactions totaling more than $20 billion in value. Most recently, Chanana was a Vice President at Jefferies in their Global Healthcare Group where he advised leading physician practice management companies and investors in industries such as women’s health, veterinary, dermatology, optometry, and dental.
• Dave Miller, Vice President of Value-Based Care – Miller joins GNS with experience in both renal care services and full risk primary care. He was most recently at ChenMed as the Market General Manager for Richmond, Virginia. Before healthcare he served as a Submarine Officer in the United States Navy.
• Alex Plunkett, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives – Plunkett is joining GNS from Bain & Company, a global consulting firm, and brings deep experience in leading healthcare-focused organisations through growth and integration efforts.
GNS’ newest leaders build on an existing group of physicians and healthcare executives including Dr. Rajiv Poduval, Founding Chief Executive Officer; Dr Gurdev Singh, Founding Chief Operating Officer and Chief Information Officer; Lauren Ellenburg, Senior Vice President of Operations, Strategy, and Informatics; Tally Bringas, Vice President of Human Resources; and Nilesh Joshi, Vice President of IT and Analytics. With decades of experience in nephrology and the broader healthcare industry, the tenured leadership team has put their decades of experience to work for GNS’ physician partners, growing the GNS platform into the trusted partner and industry leader it is today. Together, the team will bring sustainable practice solutions to physicians and fundamentally transform the delivery of renal care services.
Adam Abramson, Managing Director at Audax, says: “We’re thrilled to have such a strong partner in GNS and look forward to continuing to invest in their growth. Together, we are creating the nation’s leading kidney care platform that empowers providers to shape the future of renal care through innovative, value-based and patient-centred solutions.”
With these additions, GNS is poised to be the partner of choice for nephrologists, payers, and dialysis organisations, elevating their collective voice to shape the future of care delivery and empowering physicians and their practices with the operational expertise, capital and cutting-edge technology needed to improve the quality of life for their patients.
