St. Alexius joins Mayo network

St. Alexius has joined a network of hospitals connected to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Joining the Mayo Clinic Care Network will allow St. Alexius physicians to connect electronically with Mayo specialists for second opinions, which may allow more patients to stay closer to home, according to St. Alexius and Mayo Clinic officials. Other network members include Altru Health System, ASU Health Services of Arizona State University and Kingman Regional Medical Center in Arizona, Dartmouth-Hitchcock of New Hampshire and Vermont, Heartland Health of Missouri, NCH Healthcare System of Florida, NorthShore University HealthSystem of Illinois and Sparrow Health System of Michigan. John Castleberry, St. Alexius board of directors chairman, emphasized that the collaboration is not an acquisition or merger.