Evergreen Healthcare and Virginia Mason Medical Center’s boards have approved a strategic partnership agreement first announced last November.
Through this partnership, Virginia Mason and Evergreen will collaborate to provide patients with the highest quality, cost-effective health care.
The partnership will create both a broader network of care in the Puget Sound region and develop new models of care and innovation that will provide greater value to patients, employers and the communities served by both organizations.
Evergreen and Virginia Mason view the partnership as a unique means for both organizations to work together to improve quality and grow in ways that make clinical and economic sense without costly duplication of services.
The agreement calls for clinical collaborations and integration of care across a wide range of specialties, beginning with cardiology and home care.
Cardiology Services: Evergreen and Virginia Mason are partnering on primary, secondary and tertiary cardiac services. The two organizations are already working to finalize a framework for seamless integration that delivers coordinated, evidence-based care on the Eastside with the aim of providing the highest quality outcomes and best patient experience.
Cardiologists from both organizations are developing best practice clinical protocols that will provide the best outcomes at a lower cost.
Home Care and Hospice: Evergreen is the largest provider of home care and hospice services in the Puget Sound region with a national reputation for quality and service. Work is continuing to create seamless access to these services across the continuum of care for Virginia Mason patients.
Additional areas of clinical integration and collaboration will be identified over the coming months. Evergreen Healthcare and Virginia Mason Medical Center already utilize the same electronic medical record (EMR) system.
The partnership is not a merger and does not involve any transaction that affects the governance, management or financial independence of the two organizations. Evergreen and Virginia Mason will remain two distinct entities. Neither organization foresees any reduction in services or staff as a result of this partnership.
In addition to the common vision and values shared by the organizations, each is nationally recognized for superior outcomes and committed to extraordinary service.
Both Evergreen and Virginia Mason were recognized by HealthGrades® with the 2012 Distinguished Hospital Award, a distinction given to the top 5 percent of hospitals in the nation for clinical performance.
Evergreen was also recognized by HealthGrades as performing in the top 10 percent of hospitals in the nation for Outstanding Patient Experience, and Virginia Mason was named one of two Top Hospitals of the Decade by the Leapfrog Group in recognition of quality outcomes and effective use of resources for patients, as well as one of America’s 100 Best Specialty Hospitals for cardiac and gastrointestinal services by HealthGrades.
