The University of Iowa Health Alliance, which was formed in 2012 to better coordinate care, prevent and manage disease, reduce costs and deliver more efficient care, has added its fifth member, Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare-Iowa.
Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare-Iowa and its three hospitals join the other UIHA members: Iowa City-based University of Iowa Health Care, Mercy-Cedar Rapids, Genesis Health System in Davenport and Mercy Health Network in Des Moines.
The agreement does not involve changes in ownership or a merger of assets. Instead, Wheaton agreed to work with the UIHA members to develop and implement evidence-based guidelines, share best practices for population health management and share support services and information technologies.
"We've been working for nearly two years to advance high-quality healthcare services and to improve the health status of patients and communities across the state," said UIHA Chairman Dave Vellinga in a news release. "The addition of Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare significantly strengthens our efforts to better coordinate patient care and improve clinical integration throughout Iowa."
Jack Dusenbery, president and CEO of Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare-Iowa, added, "The agreement will allow us to strengthen management of population health and expand our healthcare provider referral network. We look forward to contributing to the alliance's clinical integration efforts."
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