Care Coordination

More and more, hospitals are looking for ways to save on their bottom line, especially in the face of declining reimbursements and patient volumes.

Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Medicine is launching a joint venture in Saudi Arabia with Saudi Aramco, an oil and natural gas company owned by the Saudi Arabian government, according to a JHM news release.

Provider organizations in nine rural communities in Indiana, Michigan and California have bonded together as the National Rural ACO and joined the Medicare Shared Savings Program as an accountable care organization.

A whitepaper from Truven Health Analytics shares some insight for providers to predict the success of their accountable care organization pilots.

Health insurer UnitedHealthcare and Ontario, Calif.-based Prime Healthcare Services have expanded their agreement to include 14 of Prime's hospitals.

Medac, an urgent care provider organization, and Wilmington (N.C.) Health have announced a new affiliation, effective March 1.

Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield has signed accountable care organization contracts with three physician groups in Iowa this month, according to a Des Moines Register report.

Atlanta-based Emory Healthcare signed an accountable care organization agreement with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia and Blue Cross Blue Shield Healthcare Plan of Georgia Jan. 22.

The joint venture between Denver-based SCL Health System and Scottsdale, Ariz.-based home care management company Univita Health has acquired All Care Home Health.

Denver-based Physician Health Partners, a management services organization owned and operated by primary care physicians, has partnered with Cigna for a collaborative accountable care initiative, the payer's version of an accountable care organization.