Heywood Healthcare has joined a coalition of ten Massachusetts health systems, including 12 other hospitals, to form the Massachusetts Value Alliance (MVA) to enhance efforts in delivering high quality, patient-centered and cost-effective care to the communities throughout Massachusetts.
The member hospitals of the MVA collectively represent the second largest health care network in Massachusetts, with a combined $3.1 billion in total revenue and are largest collaboration of independent healthcare providers in the Commonwealth. The ten member systems span the breadth of Massachusetts geographically, and serve approximately 2 million people in their combined market areas.
The MVA was founded in 2016 by Emerson Hospital, Sturdy Memorial Hospital and South Shore Health System. Membership has continued to grow and now also includes Berkshire Health Systems, Harrington HealthCare System, Holyoke Medical Center, Lawrence General Hospital, Signature Healthcare and Southcoast Health in addition to Heywood Healthcare. Each MVA member shares a commitment to delivering coordinated, high quality care while focusing on cost-efficient operations.
The specific goals of the MVA include the development of group purchasing and shared service arrangements; identification and sharing of best practices to enhance each organization's ability to affect and lower the total cost of care while enhancing the quality of care; support for the development of population health management and care coordination skill sets and capabilities; and studying the feasibility of working with insurance companies and other payers to develop and/or participate in value-based network insurance products.
To date, the MVA has worked to facilitate cost savings for its member organizations through group purchasing of services, including reference lab services and employee health benefits. Other initiatives are underway, including several MVA hospitals working together on the selection and implementation of a common electronic medical record platform. "Our largest cost-saving initiative through the MVA has been partnering with both Harrington and Holyoke Hospitals to select and implement a new Electronic Medical Records system, now in the design phase," said Win Brown, President and CEO of Heywood Healthcare. "With this strong alliance with other healthcare institutions across the state, we can continue to work together to lower costs and enhance efficiencies, so we can continue what we do best: deliver high quality care to residents throughout the Commonwealth."
The specific goals of the MVA include:
? The development of group purchasing and shared service arrangements;
? Identification and sharing of best practices to enhance each organization's ability to affect and lower the total cost of care while enhancing the quality of care; and
? Support for the development of population health management and care coordination skillsets and capabilities.
"We are very pleased with the progress the MVA has made in a short period of time," said Gene Green, MD, MBA, president of the MVA Board of Trustees and President & CEO of South Shore Health. "Our membership is strong, 14 community hospitals representing 10 health systems. We are committed to working together to lower costs and enhance efficiencies, so we can continue what we do best: deliver high quality care to the people we serve."
Over time, a number of the MVA member organizations expect to work together to enhance their organizations' population health management initiatives. The MVA will provide opportunity to exchange best practices among its members with the goal of reducing health care costs to the consumer/purchaser, improving quality and enhancing patient experience. "The benefits are significant," said Dr. Green. "Through collaboration, community hospitals can secure new equipment and upgrades, achieve efficiencies of scale and gain access to value-added services, all of which is difficult to attain as a single hospital. Together, we are able to accomplish a great deal more for our hospitals, our patients and our communities."
The MVA is governed by a board of directors and operates on a shared decision-making platform. MVA member health systems remain competitive and independent, each maintaining their strong community focus. The alliance is a unique partnership of like-minded health systems which, in addition to providing economies of scale to improve efficiency and control cost, is bringing innovation to the communities served.
To learn more about the Massachusetts Value Alliance, please visit www.massvaluealliance.org.
