Baylor Scott & White formally announced Thursday that it has become the third member of the Cleveland Clinic's Cardiovascular Specialty Network and its exclusive partner for heart-care referrals in the Southwest.
The Dallas-based system joins MedStar Health in Columbia, Md., which became the network's inaugural member last year, and North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System, based in Great Neck, N.Y., which joined in August.
The Cleveland Clinic already has bundled payment contracts with large employers in the Dallas area that cover about 2.5 million lives, said CEO Dr. Toby Cosgrove. However, all of Baylor's cardiovascular patients will benefit from the alliance, which allows clinicians to share best practices and rigorously tracks data and outcomes to improve quality, he added.
Baylor performs about 2,800 open heart procedures each year, with about 2,200 performed at two specialty heart hospitals, said the system's CEO, Joel Allison.
“There's a significant halo effect just by being associated with the Cleveland Clinic,” he said, adding that even local news coverage over the summer of a pending deal between the two parties led to a modest increase in volume.
At MedStar, heart-care volume has increased 14% since the system joined the cardiovascular network, Allison said.
Cosgrove too said early indications from North Shore and MedStar suggest that the partnerships have led to greater market share and patient visits.
The Cleveland Clinic considered 65 hospitals before selecting Baylor, said Dr. Joseph Cacchione, who chairs operations and strategy at Cleveland Clinic's Heart & Vascular Institute. The system's heart programs have topped rankings and won a number of quality awards.
The next phase of the alliance will be to install the data and imaging connectivity that will allow seamless communication between Baylor and Cleveland, Cosgrove said.
Major academic health systems are forming collaborations as a way to experiment with accountable care organizations and attract insurers, said Sarah Wilson, an analyst at Decision Resources.
“Health systems want to retain their independence,” she said. “A lot of them are doing well on their own. They have a lot of clout in their marketplaces. Generally speaking, health systems that are doing well are willing to take more risk with this ability to put a little more money on the line.”
The Cleveland Clinic has formed bundled payment contracts with a number of large national employers, and its local affiliations allow it to direct patients to hospitals and physicians that are closest to their homes.
Dallas-based Baylor Health Care System completed its merger with Scott & White last year.
Follow Beth Kutscher on Twitter: @MHbkutscher
