CHICAGO — Six major Wisconsin health care systems are forming a partnership aimed at lowering costs and improving care.
The systems are Aspirus, Aurora Health Care, Bellin Health, Gundersen Health System, ThedaCare Inc., and the University of Wisconsin Health system. The six have combined annual revenues of more than $9 billion.
They will share best practices for care and technology. They also hope to form a statewide network and negotiate contracts jointly with insurers.
The systems also operate facilities in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Minnesota.
The move is considered one way of dealing with the changing healthcare landscape due to federal healthcare reform.
"Our vision is to use our collective resources wisely by being good stewards of the clinical, administrative, IT, research, patient experience, care management and other shared expertise within our six systems," said ThedaCare senior vice president Greg Devine, who will lead the partnership.
Another group of Wisconsin systems has formed a similar partnership. They are Froedtert Health, the Medical College of Wisconsin, Columbia St. Mary's, Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare, Agnesian HealthCare and Ministry Health Care.
