263,999: Square feet, the size of the new ambulatory surgical center Kaiser is building in northern Virginia that will host multiple specialties, including radiology and infusion treatments. The building will boast a farmers' market and a health park with workout stations. Other services planned include nuclear medicine, diagnostic imaging, clinical lab, oncology pharmacies, primary and specialty clinics and a community center. Kaiser is also trying to double its retail clinic network by 2022, according to the company, and is adding 4 clinics in Southern California Target stores.
Up In The Air: Intermountain, the Utah-based health system, is buying Classic Air Medical, an air ambulance company with bases in 22 states. Intermountain plans to operate it as an independent group, which should help with the health system’s goal of better coordinating virtual and physical care, particularly for patients in rural areas. It’s possible the air ambulance will be able to transport patients across states to its services, which include expanding inpatient units dedicated to behavioral health.
Different Stroke Of Genius: While the “world doesn’t move to the beat of just one drum, everybody’s got a special kind of story” and back in 2011, Arkansas may have been ranked first in per capita stroke deaths but the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences set out to change that launching a statewide digital health program of stroke education and treatment. The state is now ranked 13th based on the most recent year of data. The Digital Health Stroke Program provides 56 Arkansas hospitals with 24/7 access to neurologists who can quickly assess whether a stroke patient can be helped by a clot-busting drug that often restores complete function to the patient.
Lady’s Choice…Concierge Care: CommonSpirit is partnering with concierge healthcare provider, Tia, to build a series of women’s health clinics connecting inpatient and outpatient care in a one-stop shop for women’s health, including primary and gynecological care and I would expect behavioral health at some point. One idea is to have mental health therapists at the ready via teleconsult. I could envision a partnership between a telepsych provider and CommonSpirit. The initial pilot will launch virtual-first in the spring, followed by the first clinic in Phoenix this October, with planned expansions in Arizona and other CommonSpirit markets over the next few years.
System Expands: University of Maryland Shore Regional Health and Choptank Community Health System have entered a partnership to expand primary care, behavioral health and dental care services. Choptank currently serves more than 30,000 patients in 3 counties.
Detection: The Mayo Clinic has launched 2 tech companies, both focused on using AI, and one, Anumana, is starting with a project to detect heart conditions using data from electrocardiogram device. The company will seek FDA regulatory approval.
Lyft Off: The transport company is launching a new health care program called Lyft Pass for Healthcare, which will allow organizations to send prepaid passes to patients that they can use for rides to doctor’s appointments. The program will allow health systems and other agencies to create a budget and set approved pickup and drop off locations.
Extra Point: Bob Hope once muttered that he’d give up golf if he didn’t have so many sweaters. I heard Sharon Fields, an administrator at a primary care office in Michigan, say she’d give up fee for service billing if she didn’t have so many spreadsheets. Roger Ogden, a 72-year-old orthopedist from Vermont, told me he’d give up 4AM wake-ups for ACL surgery “if there weren’t so many God awful skiers.” Empty nester Aubrey Knight works at an allergy practice in western Massachusetts and says she’d rather move her husband and dogs south if the pollen wasn’t so high here – “we have too many patients,” she says. Heidi Lapit, a clinical pharmacist, says she’d give up switching patients to generics if she didn’t have so many payers requiring it. It seems our senior Jack, 17, actually did give up studying this year and when I mentioned the comedian’s sweater story Jack said “Wait, I don’t get it, who in the heck is Bob Hope?”
Save the Date: On Thursday, April 29th at 1PM tune in to our annual release of the Top 20 managed care payer priorities. Complementary registration here.