Public accounting and consulting firm, Crowe Horwath, and CHAN HEALTHCARE, an organization that focuses primarily on providing internal audit services to healthcare companies, have formed a strategic business partnership to combine resources.

Through the partnership, Crowe now has a majority interest in CHAN HEALTHCARE. Ascension and Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI), which formerly co-owned CHAN HEALTHCARE, will retain a minority position in the combined enterprise. Both will also continue their client relationship with CHAN HEALTHCARE.

By combining resources, Crowe and CHAN HEALTHCARE will strengthen existing services to meet the internal audit, risk management and financial advisory needs of the changing healthcare industry. CHAN HEALTHCARE plans to retain its existing executive management team and client service model. Steve Strammello, managing partner for risk consulting services at Crowe, will assume the role of chief executive of CHAN HEALTHCARE.