Five Arkansas healthcare entities are coming together to share ideas and resources in hopes of saving money and improving residents' health, according to an Arkansas Democrat-Gazette report.
Here are five things to know about the arrangement.
1. Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Little Rock-based Baptist Health, Jonesboro-based St. Bernards Healthcare, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock and Fayetteville-based Washington Regional Medical System have formed a shared services organization called The Partnership for a Healthy Arkansas.
2. Under the arrangement, the five healthcare entities will share certain services, such as information technology and call centers, according to the report. However, each organization will remain independent.
3. Roxane Townsend, UAMS' vice chancellor of clinical programs and CEO of UAMS Medical Center, told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette The Partnership for a Healthy Arkansas is a limited liability corporation and will seek an executive director and data analyst.
4. The Partnership for a Healthy Arkansas will include a health plan, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Max Greenwood, director of government and media relations for Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, said the insurer is focused on reducing duplication in the areas of case management and disease management, and getting rid of unnecessary costs from the healthcare system, according to the report.
5. The formation of The Partnership for a Healthy Arkansas is in line with similar efforts across the U.S. as healthcare entities look to improve quality of care, reduce the cost of care and improve the patient experience. For instance, the report notes, a similar effort occurred nearly one year ago in Raleigh, N.C., where three North Carolina healthcare organizations formed Socius Health Solutions.
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