Cardiovascular Care Group, a venture formed by alums from Renal Care, Total eMed, Medifax and other local health care ventures, has purchased Louisiana Medical Center and Heart Hospital from MedCath Corp.

The purchase is the first for the local company, which until now had focused on running outpatient labs, hopes to build a national network of cardiovascular care delivery systems. Its new facility, which is located in the New Orleans area, boasts 137 beds and has been recognized as one of the top cardiovascular care hospitals in the country.

"We are committed to working with a multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, and other health professionals to deliver patient-centric and evidence-based care to individuals who are at risk or who have already developed manifestations of cardiovascular disease," said Harry Jacobson, who co-founded CCG with the late Sam Brooks and John Dayani and who is chairman of its board. "Through our model of integration and alignment with cardiovascular physicians, we plan to build on the already solid clinical reputation of Louisiana Medical Center and Heart Hospital."

Dayani, who founded and sold both Medifax and Total eMed, is CCG's president and CEO. With him in the C-suite are COO Steve Blades and CFO Doug Koppang. Blades has worked the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and led several cardiovascular industry groups. Koppang formerly worked at a number of other area health care companies as well as at Arthur Andersen.

In a statement, MedCath said the transaction with CCG will eventually be worth about $33 million.