Capella Healthcare and Medical University of South Carolina partner, form new collaborative initiative

Midlands HealthONE Network formed to expand care, meet industry demands

HARTSVILLE, SC  – Capella Healthcare and MUSC Health have announced the development of a clinically integrated network and a clinical affiliation agreement that will enable the organizations to partner to enhance the health and wellness of the families and communities they serve in South Carolina.

MUSC’s academic expertise and commitment to education and research, combined with Capella’s proven expertise in running community-based hospitals have come together to create a transformational opportunity with the formation of a regionally-based healthcare delivery network – Midlands HealthONE Network.

The clinically integrated network will enable partner facilities to share and better align resources to improve access to higher levels of care, jointly implement and monitor clinical protocols, and to collaborate on clinical workforce development and training to achieve the highest quality of care in the most efficient manner possible – all closer to home.

“In the midst of dramatic industry change, this affiliation positions each organization for a strong future by establishing a patient-focused partnership that brings the best of MUSC Health and Capella Healthcare together,” said Michael Wiechart, President and CEO of Capella Healthcare. “Healthcare providers are building clinically integrated networks and forging other partnerships because to be competitive in the future, providers will need to demonstrate that they can deliver quality outcomes and cost-effective care while staying attuned to the needs of local communities. Our collaboration with MUSC Health will uniquely position Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center, and other area providers, to better serve their communities in this new era of healthcare.”

The strengths of both Capella and MUSC – serving those in need, training the next generation of healthcare professionals, and investing in quality improvement – are enhanced through closer alignment under the Midlands HealthONE Network. Midlands HealthONE is preparing to launch in early 2015 with its first hospital, Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center, once it is officially part of the Capella network of hospitals.

“As a part of Midlands HealthONE, MUSC Health is proud to serve as Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center’s and the Midlands HealthONE Network’s preferred partner for complex tertiary and quaternary care, giving patients seamless access to care for these services when needed, and ensuring that as much care as possible is delivered close to where patients live and work,” said Patrick J. Cawley, Vice President for Clinical Affairs and MUSC Health Executive Director and CEO.

Benefits of the initiative include, but are not limited to:

• Increased access to high-quality, advanced local care through affiliated hospitals;
• Mutual development and sharing of clinical best practices;
• MUSC Health-affiliated specialist and medical resident rotations at affiliated community hospitals;
• Shared physician recruitment and placement efforts at affiliated hospitals;
• Value-added advanced tele-health services including tele-stroke, tele-neurology and E-ICU services;
• Specialized training for local clinical staff through jointly developed and shared educational resources; and
• Streamlined tertiary and quaternary referral processes when care cannot be best delivered locally.

“MUSC Health is the premier academic medical center in South Carolina and one of the top performing healthcare providers in the entire nation,” Wiechart said. “We are proud that they have chosen to partner with Capella and look forward to expanding the benefits of this unique partnership to other area providers by changing what’s possible – together”.

About MUSC Health

Founded in 1824 in Charleston, The Medical University of South Carolina is the oldest medical school in the South. Today, MUSC continues the tradition of excellence in education, research, and patient care. MUSC educates and trains more than 3,000 students and residents, and has nearly 13,000 employees, including approximately 1,500 faculty members. As the largest non-federal employer in Charleston, the university and its affiliates have collective annual budgets in excess of $1.7 billion. MUSC operates a 750-bed medical center, which includes a nationally recognized Children’s Hospital, the Ashley River Tower (cardiovascular, digestive disease, and surgical oncology), Hollings Cancer Center (one of 66 National Cancer Institute designated centers) Level I Trauma Center and Institute of Psychiatry. For more information on academic information or clinical services, visit www.musc.edu. For more information on hospital patient services, visit www.muschealth.org.

About Capella Healthcare

Capella Healthcare partners with communities to build strong local healthcare systems that are known for quality patient care. Based in Franklin, Tenn., Capella currently owns and/or operates 13 acute care and specialty hospital facilities in six states. With the philosophy that all healthcare is local, Capella collaborates with each hospital’s medical staff, board and community leadership to take care to the next level. The company has access to significant leadership and financial resources, investing 100% of net cash flow in its family of hospitals to strengthen and expand services and facilities. The company was recognized in 2012 and 2013 by Modern Healthcare as one of the nation’s fastest growing health care companies. For more information, visit the website, www.CapellaHealthcare.com. Twitter: @CapellaHealth