Claxton-Hepburn

VOLUME 14 NUMBER 2 WINTER 2016 C l a x t o n - H e p b u r n M e d i c a l C e n t e r Coming Together for the Community North Star Health Alliance, the partnership between Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center and River Hospital, brings together the best of both medical centers to ensure optimal care for the community. SINCE 2014, CLAXTON-HEPBURN and River Hospital have been working toward an afliation that allows the facilities to maintain independent operations while sharing resources. Each hospital maintains its same name but will now be part of the North Star Health Alliance. "The afliation is the best of both worlds," says Ben Moore, president and CEO of River Hospital. "The afliation allows our two facilities to share and expand clinical services within our respective communities while remaining independent entities." A PLAN TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE North Star Health Alliance started as a way to ensure both Ogdensburg and Alexandria Bay maintained access to critical care. Working through recommendations from North Country Health Systems Redesign Commission, both hospitals saw a formal collaboration as an opportunity to leverage existing relationships between the facilities. "Prior to the afliation, surgeons in our community practiced at both hospitals, and we also shared a radiologist," says NateHowell, president and CEO of Claxton-Hepburn. "Additionally, our communities have similar needs and similar challenges, and our boards of directors are similar in terms of thought processes and values. When we started to look at the cultures of our facilities, an afliation made sense and ensured both of us a better chance of success moving forward in the future." The full afliation agreement was nalized in spring 2015, and both boards of directors met jointly in late July. North Star Health Alliance became an ofcial entity on October 1, 2015. COMBINED FUNCTIONS, EXTENDED CLINICIANS, BETTER CARE One of the benets of afliation is the ability to work collaboratively to reduce expenses. For example, the compliance ofcer and chief nancial ofcer positions are jointly appointed at both Claxton-Hepburn and River Hospital. In terms of clinical care, the afliation ensures Alexandria Bay and Ogdensburg can both access much-needed services at each other's facility. The afliation will also allow both River Hospital and Claxton-Hepburn to extend care, particularly mental health services, to Fort Drum and the surrounding areas. As the closest facilities for soldiers and their families, North Star Health Alliance is proud to support the health and wellness of Fort Drum. To learn more about North Star Health Alliance and the affiliation between River Hospital and Claxton-Hepburn, visit www.claxtonhepburn.org. "Our mission is long-term viability and growth of clinical services in Ogdensburg and Alexandria Bay. Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center and River Hospital are working together to continue to offer services in our markets, despite the fact that the world is changing in the midst of healthcare reform." — Nate Howell, president and CEO of Claxton-Hepburn well living Tomorrow is worth defending. Win a set of snow shoes and poles! See page 2 for details.

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