23 Georgia hospitals form IT alliance

Twenty-three central and south Georgia hospitals and healthcare systems and about 1,500 physicians are forming a not-for-profit alliance—Stratus Healthcare—to develop a clinically-integrated network.

While remaining independent, members of the Stratus Healthcare partnership will share best practices, combine resources, develop coordinated information systems, reduce costs and manage the health of populations, according to a July 23 announcement.  

“In the future, primary care doctors and specialists will need to work closer together on a regional scale to develop clinical guidelines and the sharing of outcomes data. The timely exchange of electronic patient information is becoming increasingly important to improve quality and prevent duplication or over-utilization of healthcare services. Stratus will coordinate and support physicians in this endeavor,” according to the announcement.

In comments on the collaboration, Nina Saunders, MD, chief executive officer, Central Georgia Health System, said the alliance creates a delivery model to facilitate the transformation of medical care reimbursement from fee-for-service to a fee-for value framework.

“It’s about the right care, the right access at the right cost,” said Saunders. “Initially, the Stratus Healthcare work groups will explore primary care, emergency medicine, hospitalist and specialty care networks to include the development of clinical guidelines, telemedicine connections, transfer arrangements and the sharing of outcomes data. Work groups will examine collective purchasing, an integrated clinical network and shared business resources.”

For more information on the alliance and its members, go here.