Versant Diagnostics has announced a strategic partnership with SouthEastern Pathology.
SouthEastern Pathology is a College of American Pathologists-accredited provider based in Rome, Georgia. The company’s board-certified pathologists and staff have been providing personalized pathology services for physicians and patients throughout the Southeastern United States for more than 50 years.
Founded in 2021 by Ven Aduana, M.D., Jim Billington and Brian Carr, Versant Diagnostics is an independent physician services company focused on anatomic pathology. Versant Diagnostics provides services for hospitals and physician practices. Versant Diagnostics is focused on rapidly advancing digital pathology in anatomic pathology labs and specialty clinics and has an aggressive growth strategy into more markets and sub-specialties. Backing for the strategy is made possible by private equity firm Iron Path Capital.
SouthEastern Pathology President Frederick K. Swiger Jr, M.D., and his partner Christopher Kligora, M.D., along with the practice’s team of physicians, will continue in their current roles.
“Expanding into Georgia is a key milestone in our mission to make high-quality, digitally-enabled pathology services more accessible,” said Jim Billington, Chief Executive Officer of Versant Diagnostics. “For more than 50 years, SouthEastern Pathology has been a trusted partner to hospitals, physicians and patients with a commitment to high-quality clinical outcomes. We’re proud to welcome Dr. Swiger, Dr. Kligora and their team and to support their transition to digital pathology, which enhances accuracy, efficiency and ultimately patient care.”
Bass, Berry & Sims represented Versant Diagnostics in the deal. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
According to data captured in the LevinPro HC database, this transaction marks the 95th Laboratories, MRI and Dialysis transaction of the year, and the 53rd in the diagnostic specialty. Throughout all of 2024, there were 122 Laboratories, MRI and Dialysis transactions, 64 of them diagnostic deals.
This also marks Versant Diagnostics’ first acquisition of 2025. In 2024, the company acquired Associate Pathologists of Joliet and Cutaneous Pathology, P.A.
