Cloud-Based Care Coordination Network Comes To Massachusetts
By Wendy Grafius, contributing writer
Steward Health Care System and athenahealth partner to develop cloud-based care coordination network to be used across health systems.
Boston-based Steward Health Care System has expanded its relationship with athenahealth by selecting athenaCoordinator Enterprise for its employed providers and their patients. The partnership will allow the development of the state’s first cloud-based care coordination network to be used across health systems.
Already a customer of athenahealth, Steward sought an interoperability solution that would advance clinical integration and enhance access for patients. “athenaCoordinator Enterprise offers Steward the ability to better connect care across our expansive care network, as well as with other providers in our region, regardless of what EHR or practice management system they use, said Dr. Michael Callum, executive VP of Steward Health Care and president of Steward Medical Group. “This partnership is about applying innovative services across our network and building a health information system in the cloud – one that enables us to drive better patient engagement, support seamless transitions in care, and achieve the highest quality performance possible, all while delivering excellent provider support and satisfaction.”
The Web-based service is a first-of-its-kind. athenahealth will help Steward’s providers in tracking and supporting care delivery for patients. “athenahealth is leveraging the power of the cloud and a robust set of technology-enabled services to deliver care coordination in a way no other vendor has been able to achieve,” said Stephen Kahane, M.D., president of enterprise solutions at athenahealth. “Steward is a forward-thinking health system that, like us, believes in using technology in innovative ways. We value their commitment to improving the state of healthcare, and we look forward to working alongside their team to prove that care coordination can be achieved today across the continuum of care, including ambulatory and inpatient markets.”
Steward Health Care System is a community-based accountable care organization and hospital network serving residents of 150+ communities in the greater Boston area. The second-largest healthcare system in New England, Steward’s 11 community hospitals provide care for more than one million patients annually and are all Joint Commission accredited, having received the Gold Ribbon Seal in Healthcare.
Facilities include 263-bed acute care Norwood Hospital, 261-bed Catholic Holy Family Hospital, and 252-bed tertiary care St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, a teaching facility affiliated with Tufts University School of Medicine. The healthcare system is additionally composed of Carney Hospital, Good Samaritan Medical Center, Merrimack Valley Hospital, Morton Hospital, Nashoba Valley Medical Center, New England Sinai Hospital, Quincy Medical Center, and Saint Anne’s Hospital, Steward Medical Group, Steward Home Care, and Steward Hospice and Palliative Care.
SOURCE: Globe Newswire