Providence-based Lifespan and UnitedHealthcare hope a new partnership announced Wednesday will close gaps in what they call a fragmented health care system—while improving patient health and lowering costs. Officials said Lifespan is one of only a handful of organizations across the U.S.—and the first in Rhode Island—to participate in UnitedHealthcare's "shared savings" program. The effort emphasizes collaborative care and a payment system based more on how patients are doing than the volume of procedures or tests a doctor or lab performs.
