Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center in Ogdensburg, N.Y., and River Hospital in Alexandria Bay, N.Y., have entered into a cooperative agreement to affiliate under the name North Star Health Alliance.
Here are seven things to know about the affiliation.
1. Hospital officials said the affiliation is designed to do the following:
- Protect and enhance each organization's respective charitable mission
- Improve the quality of services and healthcare at each institution.
- Allow Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center and River Hospital to increase efficiencies and lower costs
2. The two organizations will share resources and collaborate on information technology. Opportunities for future collaboration include compliance and quality assurance, grant writing, healthcare population management contracting and the consolidation of administrative functions.
3. River Hospital already uses Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center's nephrology and oncology physician services. And in the future, the North Star Health Alliance will look at specialties that will jointly serve each hospital, according to a news release.
4. The North Star Health Alliance will serve as a passive parent to River Hospital, Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center and their sister organizations while ensuring operational independence.
5. Under the terms of the affiliation, River Hospital and Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center will keep its name, board, leadership structure and staffing levels and remain responsible for its own bottom line.
6. No job cuts are planned as a result of the affiliation.
7. The two institutions anticipate receiving all necessary approvals for the affiliation in the first quarter of 2016.