Take Care Health collaborates with Indiana health system on better patient care
DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens' subsidiary Take Care Health Systems on Wednesday announced a clinical collaboration with Indianapolis-based Community Health Network that will facilitate more coordinated healthcare services and improve patient access to high-quality, convenient and affordable care throughout central Indiana.
“We began a relationship with Walgreens two years ago to explore ways to increase patient adherence to prescribed medications and we developed a pilot program,” noted Kyle Fisher, chief strategic development officer at Community Health Network. “Through this program, we discovered our organizations share a dedicated focus on innovation, customer service and high-quality patient care.”
The final outcome both companies are striving for is better patient care, executives noted. “One of our key goals is to improve access and convenience to Community’s patients and our partner’s patients,” commented Tim Hobbs, chief physician executive at Community Health Network. “We have a growing ambulatory delivery system and employer health network. Our physicians and leadership are very committed to that and have been impressed with Walgreens desire to do the same. Through this relationship, we are bringing new thinking to local health care delivery and helping ensure that patients are receiving the best care at the best location," he said. “This type of collaborative approach leverages the unique capabilities of both parties and represents the direction that health care is moving.”
“With its ambulatory footprint and position as one of the most highly integrated health care providers in Central Indiana, Community Health Network shares our objectives to improve access and overall health, while also reducing costs for patients, payers and providers,” stated Jeffrey Kang, Walgreens SVP health and wellness services and solutions. “By developing new and innovative coordinated care programs, Walgreens and Take Care Clinics are helping to bridge critical gaps in care by working closely with others in the medical community, and furthering our mission to help patients get, stay and live well.”
As part of the collaboration, the two healthcare providers will coordinate care for Community Health Network patients with Take Care Clinic providers for acute, chronic and diagnostic services and direct communication between Community Health Network physicians and Take Care Clinic nurse practitioners to facilitate care coordination and sharing of patient information.
Under the agreement, Walgreens and Community Health Network are also exploring opportunities to share electronic medical records, with the goal of eventually having shared patients’ records fully integrated with Community CareConnect, the patient-centric, electronic medical records technology platform owned by Community Health Network. This level of coordination could also include patients being able to schedule appointments online at Community Health Network physician offices, Take Care Clinics, MedCheck locations and imaging sites.
Community Health Network has more than 200 sites of care and affiliates throughout Central Indiana, including eight hospitals and network of over 2,000 credentialed physicians. There are 14 Take Care Clinics in Central Indiana.
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