BATON ROUGE, LA – What began as a local, limited-market concept has expanded to become Health Leaders Alliance, a statewide alliance of providers with the common goal of improving quality outcomes and patient satisfaction. Formerly introduced as Health Leaders Network – a clinically integrated network of independent and employed providers in the Baton Rouge, Gonzales, Lafayette and Monroe markets – the initiative has grown to comprise more than 2,000 leading community providers across the state. This new alliance will allow its members to continue delivering localized care in individual markets while also providing patients with additional benefits of statewide clinical collaboration. These partner organizations will share quality information, provide exceptional care and focus on the changes in the healthcare industry.
“As the founding member of the New Orleans Region of Health Leaders Alliance, LCMC Health is proud to lead the way towards improving outcomes, lowering costs, and rewarding value,” said Greg Feirn, chief executive officer of LCMC Health. “LCMC Health’s shared vision as part of the Health Leaders Alliance is closely aligned with our mission to deliver high-quality and compassionate care to the communities we serve.”
Founding members of Health Leaders Alliance are market leader organizations with track records for successful collaboration and high-quality, high-value care delivery, Alliance reps said. These include Willis-Knighton Health System in Shreveport-Bossier; Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge; Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System with facilities located in Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Gonzales, Bogalusa and Monroe; LCMC Health in New Orleans; and Thibodaux Regional Medical Center serving Thibodaux and the Bayou Region.
“The healthcare industry is evolving toward greater collaboration between doctors and hospitals on behalf of their patients, and clinical integration on a statewide level will allow providers to more easily and successfully share and track information in order to support these efforts,” said Dr. Richard Vath, president of Health Leaders Network and Health Leaders Alliance steering committee lead. “Health Leaders Alliance looks forward to being the state’s leader in this area and plans to add other like-minded members and affiliates throughout the region."
This collaboration is part of an effort to create accountable care, which focuses on high quality rather than quantity, and aligns all players in the healthcare system to improve a patient’s overall health, Alliance reps said. Care providers nationwide are showing strong interest in a shift to accountable care, also known as value-based care.
The combined service areas of the Health Leaders Alliance across Louisiana will provide access for the population in a way that maximizes value to both patients and local physicians, reps said. The structure assigns no ownership to the partners and is not considered a merger. Instead, the Health Leaders Alliance organization allows for members to maintain focus on serving unique local populations while benefiting from a partnership with an expanded network of organizations committed to working together on behalf of patients across the state, reps said.
