Community Health Network, VillageMD partner for primary care management joint venture: 5 things to know

Indianapolis-based Community Health Network is partnering with Chicago-based VillageMD for a primary care management joint venture that they say will improve the quality of patient care and significantly reduce healthcare costs, while providing primary care physicians the tools to focus on their patients.

Here are five things to know about the joint venture.

1. The joint venture is called Primaria Health.

2. Doug Stratton, a longtime healthcare executive who previously served as the CEO of Principal Healthcare of Indiana and president and CEO of Cigna of Kansas and Missouri, is the CEO of Primaria, effective Sept. 1.

3. Primaria will provide services to Community Health and independent providers across a 38-county area of Central Indiana, managing the population health process so that physician time is focused on patient care and engagement with other physicians, the organizations said.

4. Under the joint venture, physicians will have access to proven processes and technology that have demonstrated significant clinical improvements in patients dealing with diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease and other complicated health conditions.

5. Primaria will begin providing services to Community Health primary care physicians Oct. 1.