Eastern Iowa hospitals join forces

Patients will see a growing collaboration between University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City and Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids.

The collaboration between the two hospitals, announced Wednesday, is part of an effort to move forward with components of health care reform, even if elements are overturned in court, said Mercy CEO Tim Charles.

"The intention, while allowing us to remain independent, is to create a platform to create any number of initiatives together," Charles said.

Three examples cited are forming a Medicare accountable care organization, or ACO, a new model of care for Medicare beneficiaries; working together to treat patients with kidney failure; and converting Mercy to the electronic medical record system known as Epic, which is already in use at UI Hospitals.

Charles said at this point, the collaboration involves programs, doctors and staff, rather than buildings, but he didn't rule out the possibility, for example, that a central center for dialysis might be built.

He noted that the collaboration has been discussed for several months and details are still being finalized.

Leaders of both hospitals cited challenges facing health care, including escalating costs, fragmented care and the uncertainties of evolving health care reform efforts, as key reasons for the collaboration.

“We share a commitment to providing access to high-quality health care close to home with a focus on building healthier communities,"  Dr. Jean Robillard,  vice president for medical affairs at the UI, said in a statement. "This collaboration is very much a key part of UI Health Care's mission to serve all Iowans throughout the state.”