Travis Messina co-founded Contessa Health as a hospital-at-home startup in 2015. He served as CEO until March 2023, helping to grow the business into a higher-acuity care innovator with joint venture partnerships with some of health care’s biggest names.
Messina now finds himself leading another organization.
The Franklin, Tennessee-based Regent Surgical Health announced Monday that Messina has been named the company’s new CEO while also being appointed to its board of directors. He takes over for Interim CEO and Executive Chairman Joe Clark, who remains on Regent’s board.
“[Messina] brings a unique blend of visionary thinking, entrepreneurial prowess and deep experience forming successful partnerships with some of the nation’s leading health systems,” Clark said in a statement.
Specifically, Messina’s skill set will support Regent in the company’s goals of moving into new markets and deepening its strategic relationships, Clark added.
Regent’s business model revolves around partnering with hospitals and physicians to develop, own and manage ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). Founded in 2001, the company currently operates and manages ASC locations in more than 15 states.
In 2021, Regent completed a strategic investment from TowerBrook Capital Partners, an international investment management firm, along with Ascension Capital. TowerBrook and Ascension are also the backers of Compassus in the home-based care world.
“Continuing on my prior experiences at Contessa of partnering with health systems to appropriately offer patients more services on an outpatient basis is extremely exciting,” Messina wrote in a LinkedIn post. “I look forward to being on the team that works alongside our health system, physician and payer partners to bring this outstanding care to communities across the country.”
In between Messina co-founding Contessa and him leaving the company, it was acquired by home health and hospice provider Amedisys Inc. (Nasdaq: AMED) for $250 million.
Prior to Contessa, Messina was the chief investment officer for Martin Ventures and the vice president of development for Vanguard Health Systems.
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