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DALLAS—EyeCare Services Partners (ESP), a leader in integrated eyecare services, has named Chris R. Stark as vice president, managed care. Stark is responsible for the firm’s contractual relationships with payors and provider enrollment/credentialing, according to the ESP announcement. Stark comes to ESP with nearly 20 years of experience in health care contracting and provider network development. Most recently, Stark was vice president, contracting and network development for Methodist Health System in Dallas, where he led payor contracting and related functions for an integrated health system that included hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers and a 600-physician ACO.

Previously, at Centene’s Nebraska Total Care affiliate, he was vice president, network development and contracting and led a team that built a new statewide network.

“We welcome Chris to our team,” Daniel D. Crowley, ESP’s executive chairman, said in the announcement. “ESP’s high quality practices, convenient locations, and relevance in key markets mean we have a lot to offer our patients and payor partners. We look forward to Chris’s contributions as we continue to grow.”

Added Stark, “ESP is a clear leader in integrated eyecare services. It is an exciting time to be here and I am pleased to be part of the team.” Stark has a Master’s of Health Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia campus.

ESP is creating a leading integrated eyecare services company by consolidating market-leading ophthalmic and optometric practices and their affiliated ambulatory surgery centers. The firm oversees more than 200 providers and approximately 100 practice and surgery center locations in seven states and the District of Columbia, according to an announcement earlier this fall.

Harvest Partners, a New York-based private equity firm, and Varsity Healthcare Partners announced in 2017 that they had completed a recapitalization of ESP, with Harvest acquiring Varsity’s majority ownership interest, as VMAIL reported.