The mission of UT Physicians is to provide the highest quality, comprehensive, cost-efficient and effective healthcare in a patient-centered environment, distinguished by national leadership in medical education and research. Incorporated as MCO Associates in 1973, Dr.Lucien Morris who was then Chairman for the Department of Anesthesiology at the Medical College of Ohio formed MCO Associates. The goal was to find a solution for the MCO physicians to be compensated both academically and clinically. The idea was to split revenue between the hospital and the physicians of the corporation. The business was created and began handling the physicians' billing and collections of the newly created group. In 2004 the organizational structure was changed from a for-profit to a not-for-profit, and the name changed to MCO Physicians. As a result of the merger of the University of Toledo and the Medical College of Ohio in July, 2006, the group name changed again to the University of Toledo Physicians (UTP). The organization provides practice management support services to its physician members that includes provider credentialing, health plan enrollment, managed care contracting, compliance, fee schedule maintenance, billing, payment processing and collection services. Also provided is benefit administration services for medical malpractice, payroll, flexible spending accounts, retirement plans and accounts payable services.