FAQ
Seven (and growing) rural independent hospitals are launching the Kansas High Value Network to collaborate on clinical and business initiatives to strengthen healthcare in rural communities across the state. Our health system is a founding member of this growing network.
The network’s foundation is a clinically integrated network (CIN) caring for a population of approximately 500,000 patients. The CIN will drive KS-HVN’s quality enhancement initiatives and care coordination efforts and reduce administrative burdens for providers
No. Clara Barton Medical Center, like every member of KS-HVN, remains an independent hospital that can focus on the needs of our community. KS-HVN is more like a farmer’s cooperative: A cooperative fosters collaboration and handles some tasks jointly for its members, who continue to otherwise operate independently.
The network is starting with seven founding hospitals across Kansas. We are actively welcoming other Kansas hospitals to join us. The charter members are:
· Clara Barton Medical Center in Hoisington
· Hays Medical Center in Hays
· Gove County Medical Center in Quinter
· Pawnee Valley Community Hospital in Larned
· NMC Health in Newton
· Patterson Health Center in Anthony
· Scott County Hospital in Scott City
Many of the toughest challenges in healthcare have pushed hospitals and physician groups to combine into larger health systems, because economies of size and scale are crucial to building the capabilities needed to meet these challenges.
Larger health systems based in Kansas’s largest cities have a critical role to play in caring for our communities, as some patients will continue to need the very specialized care delivered in academic medical centers.
That said, patients in our community are best served by preserving our hospital’s dedicated focus on serving the needs of patients and providers in our community. KS-HVN helps our members gain the benefits of size and scale without giving up the ability to tailor decisions to the needs of their local communities.
No. Our hospital has experienced strong financial performance over the past several years. However, like many rural hospitals across the country, we continue to navigate ongoing economic pressures. Joining KS-HVN will allow us to take advantage of joint purchasing that saves money, as well as exchange operational best practices with other rural health systems across the state.
Exactly the same way that they are now: Our board and health system leaders – who live and work in our community – will continue to make those decisions. We are joining KS-HVN to accomplish things that we cannot do on our own. Making decisions about healthcare in our community is not one of those things.
By working together with other independent rural hospitals, we will pool our clinical and business know-how to ensure continued access to high-quality care that strengthens our community. These efforts will improve care coordination, support medical practitioners and promote more efficient operations.
As the collaboration deepens among members, the network will be a strong partner with payers on value-based insurance products that improve quality, reduce cost, and enhance patient and provider experience.
Sustaining high-quality care in our community for the long term is great news for patients. Here are some specific benefits that patients will see from our hospital’s membership in the Kansas High Value Network:
· Clinical initiatives through the KS-HVN will enable members to benchmark their performance and find areas to further enhance clinical quality, while Care Coordination initiatives close care gaps and reduce unnecessary ER visits while improving overall community health.
· The data platform members will participate in enables better care coordination for patients who need treatment at multiple locations.
· Reducing administrative burdens on clinicians leaves them more time to focus on patients, and over time, can help reduce burnout. That helps us retain excellent physicians and other providers in our community.
· The members can work together with payers on value-based arrangements that an individual member may not be able to do on its own. Patients benefit when insurers and hospitals develop these win-win relationships.
· The members will bolster their ability to control costs for equipment and contracted services by negotiating as a group, and controlling these costs helps maintain affordability for patients.
KS-HVN will promote greater stability and success for its members through its clinical and business initiatives. When our hospitals and clinics thrive, our medical practitioners, nurses, and employees benefit, too. For medical practitioners, the KS-HVN Clinical Integration Committee will be a supportive peer community, nurses and quality coordinators will have the Care Coordination Committee. Business and operational leaders will have a similar peer group.
Yes, joining KS-HVN has no immediate impact on our contracts with health insurers. As the collaboration deepens among members, the network will be a strong partner with insurers on value-based insurance products that improve quality, reduce cost, and enhance patient and provider experience.
