North suburban Boston health system Hallmark Health joined Tufts Medical Center parent Wellforce on Tuesday, becoming a third founding partner in the affiliation.
The deal means Wellforce, the parent company of Tufts and Lowell General Hospital operator Circle Health, is now comprised of nearly 3,000 affiliated physicians, with more than 1,000 inpatient beds and 12,000 staff members. Additionally, the 400-plus physicians in the Hallmark Health physician-hospital organization have also now joined the New England Quality Care Alliance, Tufts Medical Center's network of community physicians.
The joining of Circle Health and Tufts Medical Center marked Wellforce's founding in 2014, an alliance that executives said led to $5 million in savings on supplies and services for its members. It also enabled collaboration among Wellforce members that expanded the reach of services by Tufts Medical Center pediatricians, neonatologists, surgeons, ICU specialists and others into the Massachusetts' Merrimack Valley.
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The affiliation agreement is six months in the making. As the third and equal founding member of Wellforce, Hallmark Health will help govern the organization, with equal representation on the Wellforce board and oversight of decisions affecting Hallmark Health services.
Hallmark Health was founded in 1997 and is comprised of hospitals, physician practices, and community-based services spread throughout north suburban Boston. Its facilities include Melrose-Wakefield Hospital, Lawrence Memorial Hospital of Medford; Hallmark Health Medical Center, Reading; Hallmark Health Medical Associates; Hallmark Health VNA and Hospice; and Lawrence Memorial/Regis College School of Nursing.
Wellforce includes four community hospital campuses, one academic medical center, and a children's hospital with a combined $1.7 billion in revenue.
Twitter: @BethJSanborn