Atlantic Health System has followed up its partnership with CentraState Healthcare System with the purchase of Immediate Care, a network of seven urgent care centers in Central Jersey.

With its corporate headquarters in Red Bank, Immediate Care has urgent care centers in Toms River, Brick, Hazlet, Marlboro, Red Bank, East Windsor and Edison.

The centers will maintain their name, but will be integrated into Morris County-based Atlantic Health's branding. "I am ecstatic to be a partner with Atlantic Health System," said Salvatore Cannizzaro, Immediate Care Medical Walk-In's founder, who will continue as chief executive officer. "I will be a proud partner to continue to expand the horizon for them throughout the state and tri-state area."

In December, Freehold Township-based CentraState Healthcare System entered into a partnership with Atlantic Health and became a part of the group's network of hospitals, which includes Morristown Memorial Hospital and Overlook Hospital in Summit.

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Immediate Care's centers offer walk-in care for various illnesses, infections, and injuries such as fractures, sprains and minor burns, as well as radiology and laboratory services.

CentraState was a minority partner in Immediate Care's urgent care centers in Brick, Marlboro and East Windsor. Atlantic Health is now the sole owner.

"Atlantic Health's acquisition of the seven Immediate Care urgent care locations opens a new vista to serve our communities through a broader network of primary care while enhancing access and affordability," said John T. Gribbin, CentraState's president and chief executive officer, in a statement.

Clinical and executive leadership will remain in place, Atlantic Health said. Plans for future development of the locations include the creation of "medical neighborhoods," which will incorporate many of Atlantic Health System's primary care, ambulatory surgery and specialty care services.

It's part of a larger trend in health care as providers seek to move acute care patients away from high-cost emergency rooms and hospitals and into neighborhood offices. Now hospital systems even are locating urgent care centers in shopping centers and other centrally located places where people visit and shop.

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Besides trying to keep costs down, they seek to improve community access to healthcare and provide a good experience, said David Dreyfus, an assistant professor at Rutgers Business School's department of supply chain management.

"They are trying to educate patients and say, 'You don't have to go to a hospital, you can be treated at a convenient location," Dreyfus said. "I can go to this really nice convenient clinic that can provide care at the same level of quality that I can get at the hospital."

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"Offering convenient, high-quality care to patients and families across New Jersey helps us fulfill our mission to build healthier communities," said Brian Gragnolati, Atlantic Health's president and chief executive officer, in a statement.

David P. Willis: dwillis@gannettnj.com

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Atlantic Health buys Immediate Care urgent care in Central Jersey