One CEO says patients and providers "need options" as the healthcare sector transitions to value-based reimbursements.
Stratus Healthcare, a 30-hospital collaborative serving southcentral Georgia will enter a partnership with Macon-based Central Georgia Health Network, the two health system announced jointly.
"By entering into partnership talks, we expect that Stratus and CGHN will find ways to work together to improve the health of our patients and that these lessons will set the stage for our discussions with physicians throughout the Stratus region," said Dean Burke, MD, chair of the Stratus Governing Board, in remarks accompanying the announcement.
Greensboro, GA-based Stratus is a non-equity collaboration of health systems, hospitals and physicians formed in July 2013.
CGHN is a consolidated local healthcare network comprised of almost 1,000 physicians and, along with Navicent health facilities, serves communities across more than 15 counties in central Georgia.
A media release announcing the potential alignment provided no details about what the partnership might look like, who would lead it, if cash or other assets were involved, and when talks would be finalized.
"Healthcare has gone through significant changes in the last few years and more changes are coming, particularly in the way that physicians are reimbursed for the care they provide," Freddy Gaton, MD, chair of the CGHN board, said in prepared remarks.
"To thrive in this new system, physicians must be able to prove, through robust data, that they are providing high quality care to their patients. We believe that our talks with Stratus could lead to a partnership that will better enable us to prove that we provide outstanding care to our patients."
CGHN CEO Chuck Carroll said patients and providers "need options" as the healthcare sector transitions to value-based reimbursements.
"CGHN is physician-focused and committed to patient-friendly, cost-efficient, locally appropriate care solutions, value-based contracting and education," he said. "CGHN is committed to extending quality healthcare to rural Georgia communities and the Stratus partnership is another step in extending collaboration, communication and better health throughout central and South Georgia."