PHOENIX, January 9, 2025 – Riverside Partners, a Boston-based private equity firm, announced today that its portfolio company, UnisLink, has added healthcare veterans Julie Klapstein and Christine Schuster to its Board of Directors. UnisLink is a leading provider of full-service revenue cycle management services, including value-based care software and services such as population health analytics, quality reporting, and risk analytics for physician practices. The two new board members will join the existing board which includes existing independent board member Mark Talley, a revenue cycle management industry veteran and former CEO of Riverside Partners’ portfolio company, Revecore.
“We are thrilled to have Julie and Christine join the Board at UnisLink,” said David Belluck, General Partner at Riverside Partners. “They have been long-time advisors to the firm through their participation on the Healthcare Advisory Board and will both add tremendous value to UnisLink as we continue to execute on our organic and inorganic growth plans.” Ms. Klapstein and Ms. Schuster are both members of Riverside’s Healthcare Advisory Board which, combined with Riverside’s Clinical Advisory Board, comprises a group of 30 highly engaged operating advisors with diverse experiences from leading healthcare organizations.
“Julie Klapstein is an experienced operational executive in revenue cycle management and e-health solutions, while Christine Schuster brings decades of relevant healthcare experience and a deep understanding of our client base in clinical practice,” said David Strand, CEO of UnisLink. “They bring highly complementary experiences which will be an invaluable resource to the executive leadership team at UnisLink as we continue to scale the business.”
- Julie Klapstein is a seasoned board member, advisor, and entrepreneur who has over 30 years of private and public company experience in the healthcare information technology and revenue cycle management sectors. She is the founding CEO of Availity, a healthcare IT company that optimizes the automated delivery of critical business and clinical information among healthcare stakeholders. Previously, Ms. Klapstein held executive roles at Phycom, Sunquest Information Systems, SMS, GTE Health Systems, and AT&T Information Systems. She has served or is currently serving on the boards of Amedisys, Aptarro, MultiPlan, NextGen, Oak Street Health, Omada, Revecore, and HCIM. Ms. Klapstein earned her bachelor’s degree from Portland State University in Portland, Oregon.
- Christine C. Schuster, a Registered Nurse, has served as Chief Executive Officer and President of Emerson Hospital, Inc. since 2005. Prior to Emerson, she was the CEO of Quincy Medical Center and Athol Memorial Hospital, and held executive leadership roles at Tenet Saint Vincent Healthcare System and New England Deaconess Hospital. She previously served as a healthcare management consultant with Coopers and Lybrand. Ms. Schuster is the past Chair of the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association Board of Directors and co-founder and Chair of the Massachusetts Value Alliance, a purchasing collaborative comprised of nine healthcare systems in MA and CT. She was named to Boston Magazine’s list of The Most Influential Bostonians for 2023 and 2024. For the past seven years, Emerson Health has been named to the Boston Globe/Women’s Edge Top 100 Women-led Businesses. Becker’s Hospital Review named her one of the Top 130 Hospital and System CEOs to Know. She is a frequent speaker at industry events on a wide variety of healthcare topics. Ms. Schuster received an MBA with honors from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business and a BS in nursing from Boston University.
“UnisLink offers differentiated technology coupled with unparalleled customer service that positions the company extremely well to continue its aggressive growth trajectory,” said Ms. Klapstein. “I am eager to leverage my experience to support UnisLink’s operational strategy and commercial growth.”
“Physician practices in every specialty are under immense financial and operational pressures,” said Ms. Schuster. “UnisLink provides much-needed services in revenue cycle management with deep expertise to complement the clinical practice, ensuring that customers are compensated fairly and fully based on the patient services they provide. I am eager to join the Board, help support UnisLink’s continued commercial success and endorse the value they add.”
Julie and Christine have been long-time advisors to the firm through their participation on the Healthcare Advisory Board and will both add tremendous value to UnisLink as we continue to execute on our organic and inorganic growth plans. David Belluck General Partner
About UnisLink
UnisLink is a leading provider of end-to-end revenue cycle management (RCM) solutions, dedicated to helping physician practices thrive by improving their financial health. Headquartered in Phoenix, AZ, the company deploys unique technology, analytics, and skilled teams to enhance clinical outcomes while improving the financial performance of its customers. For more information, please visit www.unislink.com.
About Riverside Partners
Founded in 1989, Riverside Partners is a middle market private equity firm with total capital commitments of $1.6 billion raised since inception. The firm focuses on growth-oriented companies in the healthcare and technology industries. Riverside Partners is particularly experienced at partnering with founders, owners, and management teams and brings substantial domain expertise and operating experience to its portfolio companies. For more information, visit www.riversidepartners.com.
Media Contact
Andy Merrill
Prosek Partners
(917) 622-1252