Allina signs $100M deal to outsource data analytics

Allina Health, a $3.7 billion nonprofit that serves nearly 1 million patients in Minnesota and western Wisconsin, has signed a deal worth more than $100 million with vendor Health Catalyst to outsource its data warehousing, analytics and performance improvement.

The partnership “is an unprecedented effort to improve the quality and lower the cost of care for Allina’s patients and to serve as a model for outcomes improvement nationwide,” according to a press release.

The agreement includes two major elements:

• Allina Health will outsource its data warehousing, analytics and performance improvement technology, content and personnel to Health Catalyst to further accelerate the health system's significant advances in improving care.
• Allina will gain access to Health Catalyst's technology, content and deployment expertise to accelerate outcomes improvement at Allina. The partnership's governing committee will annually identify a prioritized list of improvement projects, each designed to provide measurable care improvement and financial value.

"As payment models continue to transition away from fee-for-service, it becomes increasingly vital for health systems to deeply understand their data in order to pinpoint inefficiencies and then reduce those inefficiencies," said Duncan Gallagher, chief financial officer of Allina Health, in a statement. "This partnership is designed to accomplish that goal in a measurable, scalable, repeatable manner."