A Brentwood-based company founded in Florida by former Columbia HCA boss and current Florida Gov. Rick Scott has partnered with HCA's regional division to stem the tide of unnecessary emergency room visits.

The agreement between Nashville-based TriStar Health and CareSpot, which changed its name from Solantic this spring, will add no less than 15 new urgent care centers to the Middle Tennessee market beginning in 2013. In the process, the joint venture plans to create at least 100 new jobs.

“Urgent care is an important aspect of TriStar’s vision to provide our community with a quality, comprehensive health system,” said President Steve Corbeil, adding that the urgent care centers are a more rapid and cheaper alternative to ER visits for non-emergency injuries and illnesses.

CareSpot is the largest urgent care provider in Florida with 29 centers in major metropolitan areas throughout that state. Those centers in Florida — which average more than 400,000 patient visits a year — will change their name from Solantic to CareSpot by early September. The urgent care company currently employs more than 500.