Four Iowa hospital systems are forming a new health care group designed to improve care and cut costs.
The University of Iowa Health Alliance, unveiled Thursday, includes Genesis Health System in the Quad Cities, Mercy-Cedar Rapids, Mercy Health Network in Des Moines and University of Iowa Health Care.
Dave Vellinga, C.E.O. of Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines, says an alliance offers advantages that a merger can’t provide.
“It’ll provide an opportunity for those other organizations and institutions within the state to remain independent, but gain access to the resources and expertise that this alliance will bring to the state of Iowa,” Vellinga said.
The alliance will allow the hospitals to share the cost of expensive new patient information systems and share research. Doug Cropper, C.E.O. of Genesis Health System, said the new alliance will also result in better patient care.
“One example is that every single physician office will have a health coach or a navigator dedicated to work with individual patients to help them navigate and work their way through a very complex health care system,” Cropper said. The alliance was planned before Thursday’s Supreme Court decision on the new health care law.
The University of Iowa Health Alliance covers more than 50 hospitals and 160 clinics across the state.