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February 16, 2009
Baraga County Memorial Hospital, Portage Health announce affiliation agreement with Marquette General Health System
As part of a shared long-term commitment to provide healthcare excellence to residents of the western Upper Peninsula, Marquette General Health System has signed a three-year affiliation agreement with Baraga County Memorial Hospital and Portage Health. The Partners in Achievement agreement is designed to enable all three healthcare systems to work together and formally share their expertise in clinical and administrative areas of healthcare delivery, while maximizing opportunities for patients to choose care in the Upper Peninsula.
Pictured from left: Jim Bogan, FACHE, Portage Health CEO; A. Gary Muller, FACHE, Marquette General Health System president and CEO; and John Trembreull, Baraga County Memorial Hospital CEO.
The Partners in Achievement agreement exemplifies the way hospitals across the country are pooling knowledge and resources to continue providing high quality services to their patients in a fiscally responsible, cost-effective manner. The new affiliation agreement will enhance the abilities of all three hospitals to meet objectives in the delivery of healthcare services to their respective communities. This affiliation agreement, while encouraging the sharing of resources, does not limit or restrict any of the hospitals from developing similar partnerships with other healthcare facilities, and allows them to maintain their own identities and operations.
"Baraga County Memorial Hospital has had long standing arrangements with both Portage Health and Marquette General Health System for a variety of services," said John Tembreull, BCMH’s CEO. "We are especially proud to enter into this Partners In Achievement agreement, because we believe it represents a truly collaborative approach for the care of patients in our area. In particular, we see a coordinated approach to physician access and information exchange that will benefit our patients."
As part of the agreement, all three hospitals established a list of shared healthcare goals for Baraga, Houghton, Keweenaw and Ontonagon counties. The goals will develop and execute the following:
1) A medical staff recruitment and retention plan
2) An improved patient referral and transfer system
3) A collaborative marketing plan
4) A plan to effectively enhance communication among regional providers
5) A coordinated information technology plan
"We are proud to strengthen our existing relationship with Baraga County Memorial Hospital and Marquette General Health System," said Jim Bogan, FACHE, Portage Health CEO. "Together, as we develop the specifics of our relationship, we will continue to expand our shared expertise for healthcare delivery for the benefit of our patients in the western Upper Peninsula."
All three hospitals remain committed to providing the best possible care to residents of the western Upper Peninsula. This mutually beneficial regional affiliation also supports the strategic plans of all three healthcare institutions. Similar affiliation agreements have been offered by MGHS to other hospitals throughout the UP. In December 2008, Dickinson County Memorial Health System also signed an affiliation agreement with MGHS.
"We’re pleased to have a tri-partnership with Baraga County Memorial Hospital and Portage Health as we move toward our common goal – supporting local healthcare delivery in market areas served by Baraga and Portage and strengthening the role of MGHS as the specialty referral center for the UP residents," said A. Gary Muller, FACHE, MGHS president and CEO.
All three hospitals have worked collaboratively on services for many years, including hematology/oncology, telehealth, dialysis services, the U.P. Regional Blood Center and outreach clinics.
Two Marquette specialists, Dr. Christian Dinsmore of Marquette General Neurology Associates and Dr. Irna Sachelarie of U.P. Hematology/Oncology Associates, are located full-time at Portage Health Internal Medicine, and provide outreach clinics at Baraga County Memorial Hospital.
This most recent affiliation further strengthens the teams of all institutions by sharing knowledge and resources.
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