Two major healthcare organizations in eastern Massachusetts are joining to build a new health system, creating what they term a "unique model" intended to improve care coordination and enhance the affordability of care.
Tufts Medical Center and Lowell General Hospital have finalized their agreement to establish the new health system, to be called Wellforce. The new system has been approved by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and reviewed by the Health Policy Commission.
The new organization will be led by CEO Normand Deschene, current CEO of Lowell General Hospital and CEO and president of Circle Health (an integrated health delivery system in Greater Lowell). Lowell General and Tufts Medical Center will be equally represented on the Wellforce board. Deschene said Tufts Medical Center, Lowell General Hospital and any future members of the health system will continue to operate with a high degree of autonomy and be governed by separate boards of trustees and chief executive officers.
“Wellforce turns the traditional healthcare model on its head,” said Deschene in a statement. “Our focus goes beyond caring for the sick to encompass prevention, community health and investment in data and digital technologies rather than capital-intensive equipment and buildings, all in the interest of enabling clinicians to do what they do best − care for patients and their communities.”
In its review of this new health system, the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission said that “this transaction may actually decrease costs” – in contrast to other affiliations in Massachusetts which have raised the specter of higher healthcare costs.
“Our physicians and hospitals will make a real difference in Massachusetts healthcare,” said Ellen Zane, vice chair of the Tufts Medical Center Board of Trustees, who will serve as chair of the Wellforce board. “Combined through Wellforce, we can increase the opportunities for sharing information and data, enhancing care coordination and taking proven population health management programs to scale. In addition, we do this while respecting the autonomy of our members. I think many providers are looking for this alternative.”
Deschene said Wellforce builds on the values of Circle Health’s principle of providing “complete connected care,” and Tufts Medical Center’s commitment to keeping care in the community and engaging the full continuum of providers, not hospitals alone, in keeping patients and communities healthy.
Finalization of the agreement follows an intensive five-month due diligence process after Tufts Medical Center and Lowell General announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in April 2014.
“The ACA and trends in healthcare costs in the United States demand a new vision for care delivery," said Deschene. “With Wellforce we are well positioned to lead on quality, wellness and affordability.”