Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/774678
THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF HALLMARK HE ALTH, THE PARENT COMPANY OF MELROSE"WAKEFIELD HOSPITAL AND L AWRENCE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL OF MEDFORD, VOTED UNANIMOUSLY IN DECEMBER TO FINALIZE AND APPROVE AN AFFILIATION AGREEMENT WITH WELLFORCE, THE PARENT COMPANY OF TUF TS MEDICAL CENTER AND CIRCLE HE ALTH, WHICH INCLUDES LOWELL GENER AL HOSPITAL. THE VOTE MARKS the end of a six-month period of exclusive discussions between Ha llma rk Hea lth a nd Wellforce as well as approva l by a ll of the necessary state and federa l regulatory a gencies. By entering t he a f f i liation a s a t hird a nd equa l founding member, Ha llma rk Hea lth ma inta ins sig nif ica nt governa nce in the orga nization, equa l representation on the Wellforce boa rd a nd sig nif ica nt oversight of those decisions that impact Ha l lma rk Hea lth ser v ices a nd promote loca l access to ca re. The a ff iliation beca me off icia l on Ja n. 1, 2017. "With the addition of Hallmark Health, Wellforce physicians and hospitals will provide a•ordable, community-focused care across Eastern Massachusetts," says Norm Deschene, CEO of Wellforce. "Through this broader a-liation, we'll share best practices, new ideas and strategies for better, more e-cient health care." As part of the new partnership, more than 400 physicians in the Hallmark Health physician-hospital organization have joined the New England Quality Care Alliance (NEQCA), Tufts Medical Center's network of community physicians, also part of Wellforce. " Wellforce a nd its member hospita ls a nd physicia ns have exceptiona l clinica l exper tise a nd reputation," says Wayne Wivell, MD, President of the Ha llma rk Hea lth medica l sta ff. " We a re excited to work together w ith our new Wel lforce peers a nd ex plore oppor tunities for clinica l integ ration of ser vices to bring new levels of ca re loca lly for the hea lth of our patients a nd our communities." Wellforce wa s founded in October 2014 with the joining of Circle Hea lth a nd Tuf ts Medica l Center. In t wo yea rs, Wellforce of f icia ls say the pa r tnership ha s achieved more than $5 million in savings on supplies and ser vices. Wellforce organizations a lso collaborate to bring Tuf ts Medica l Center pediatricia ns, neonatologists, surgeons, ICU specia lists a nd others out of Boston a nd into the Merrimack Va lley. "Our phi losophy is simple — people shou ld not have to travel to Boston for ca re," says Michael Wag ner, MD, CEO of Tuf ts Medica l Center. " We ca n bring high-level ca re to them, where they live. This new a ff iliation with Ha llma rk Hea lth presents a n exciting oppor tunit y. We will collaborate with excellent community ca regivers a nd ex tend our va lue-based ser vices to people in the nor thern suburbs." With the new aff iliations, the Wellforce System now boasts 3,000 a ff iliated physicia ns, offers more tha n 1,000 inpatient beds a nd employs 12,000 sta ff members. " We are excited to embark on this new and important chap- ter in the histor y of Ha llma rk Hea lth," says A la n Macdona ld, President a nd CEO of Ha llma rk Hea lth. "Our sta ff a nd our physicia ns a re looking for wa rd to the tremendous collabora- tion that is about to beg in." ■ Teams up with Wellforce; Physicians Join NECQA Hallmark Health M D N E W S .C O M /// M D N E W S N O R T H O F B O S T O N ■ 2 017 2 1