Health First Cited For Creating Innovative Partnerships

By  //  October 22, 2013

Award in Health System Integration

WASHINGTON, DC – The Advisory Board Company’s Southwind division announced today that it has recognized Health First, along with two other health care provider organizations, with national awards for innovative partnerships with physicians to deliver higher quality care at lower cost.

John Deane
John Deane

“Health care reform and private payers’ increasing push toward accountable care mean that leading health care providers must both align with physicians and achieve system-wide improvements in cost and quality performance,” said John Deane, CEO, Southwind.

“These three organizations’ work to deepen their collaborative partnerships with physicians makes them national leaders in executing key initiatives for value-based care strategy.”

SOUTHWIND TRANSFORMATIONAL AWARD

Health First received a Southwind Transformation Award in Health System Integration.  Recognizing that integration would facilitate quality care for the community and position the system for health care reform, Health First acquired Melbourne Internal Medicine Associates (MIMA) to complement its pre-existing medical group. MIMA was a multispecialty group of 118 physicians and 34 midlevel providers at 16 locations.

Holmes Regional Medical Center features 514 beds and more than 500 highly skilled Medical Staff members.  As the region’s premier tertiary referral hospital, Holmes offers patients life-saving technology at every turn. The Heart Center at Holmes performs more cardiac procedures than all other hospitals in Brevard and provides patients with all-private rooms.  As the only state-accredited Level II trauma center in Brevard and Indian River Counties, Holmes Trauma Center offers 24/7 trauma care and rapid patient transport via First Flight aeromedical helicopter.  Additionally, The Birth Suites Mother/Baby Unit offers Brevard’s first Level II Neonatal ICU for our tiniest patients. Holmes is also proud to be the first hospital in Brevard to offer state-of-the-art robotics-assisted surgery for Urology, Prostate, and Gynecological conditions, advanced anterior hip replacement and reverse shoulder surgeries.  As a Primary Stroke Center, our goal is to transport, assess, diagnose, and treat each stroke patient within three hours of the onset of their symptoms.  We also offer advanced, life-changing Interventional Neuro-Radiology procedures for advanced stroke treatment found nowhere else in Brevard. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com)
Holmes Regional Medical Center features 514 beds and more than 500 highly skilled Medical Staff members. As the region’s premier tertiary referral hospital, Holmes offers patients life-saving technology at every turn. The Heart Center at Holmes performs more cardiac procedures than all other hospitals in Brevard and provides patients with all-private rooms. As the only state-accredited Level II trauma center in Brevard and Indian River Counties, Holmes Trauma Center offers 24/7 trauma care and rapid patient transport via First Flight aeromedical helicopter. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com)

Despite facing unusual complexities – both Health First and MIMA experienced management turnover during the acquisition process – the common vision for quality community care motivated the parties to close the deal.

Health First utilized an interim team to manage and direct the integration of MIMA and establish physician-led governance.  The integration of Health First and MIMA resulted in the creation of Health First Medical Group, Brevard County’s largest multispecialty physician group with 235 physicians across 35 specialties and primary care.

Founded in 1995, Health First is a fully integrated health system.  The not-for-profit employs more than 7,500 people and has four hospitals including Holmes Regional Medical Center, Palm Bay Hospital, Cape Canaveral Hospital and Viera Hospital.

The integration of Health First and MIMA resulted in the creation of Health First Medical Group, Brevard County’s largest multispecialty physician group with 235 physicians across 35 specialties and primary care.
The integration of Health First and MIMA resulted in the creation of Health First Medical Group, Brevard County’s largest multispecialty physician group with 235 physicians across 35 specialties and primary care.

Health First Health Plans also offers a wide variety of health insurance plan options for Brevard and Indian River Counties.  In addition, Health First is home to Brevard County’s only Trauma Center.

Health First Medical Group is the largest multi-specialty physician group on the Space Coast. Health First offers numerous outpatient and wellness services, including four Pro-Health and Fitness Centers.

SELECTED FROM AMONG MORE THAN 1,150 CANDIDATES

The other two other top-performing health care provider organizations recognized were BayCare Health System, based in Clearwater, Florida and Peconic Bay Medical Center, which is located on the East End of Long Island in New York.

The three institutions were selected by a judging panel as award winners from among more than 1,150 consulting and management engagements completed by Southwind.  The Awards were given at the annual Southwind Institute, a senior executive summit in Nashville, Tennessee.

FOR MORE INFORMATION LOG ON TO Health-First.org