Chicago-based Rush University System for Health and Franciscan Alliance Inc. are partnering to develop and provide clinical services to residents of Northwest Indiana.
The partnership includes Rush and Franciscan Health hospitals in Crown Point, Dyer, Hammond, Michigan City and Munster. Patients now have streamlined access to subspecialty care offered by Rush providers, while staying connected and receiving many services in their own communities, representatives for the health systems said.
The agreement establishes coordinated care between Rush and Franciscan, with direct collaboration between providers to ensure that patients receive the best care in the most cost-effective way possible.
“Our organizations have a shared goal of bringing the best and latest treatments to the communities we serve,” said Dr. Omar Lateef, Rush president and CEO. “We’ve been honored to provide care in the region for many years, and this partnership makes it even simpler for our teams to come together to offer the care that patients and their families need.”
Kevin Leahy, Franciscan Alliance president and CEO, said the partnership affirms Franciscan’s commitment to providing the best care close to home.
“RUSH’s expertise and access to clinical treatments combined with Franciscan’s new state-of-the-art facilities and compassionate care create a team that can tackle a patient’s most complex health challenges.”
Potential clinical affiliations include oncology, neurology, neurosurgery and related surgical specialties. Under the agreement, Franciscan locations can be clinical trial sites, expanding access to the latest clinical treatments to patients in Northwest Indiana.
Rush is the exclusive academic medical system partner of Franciscan Alliance, while Franciscan facilities serve as the regional medical centers of choice.
“This partnership truly benefits patients by connecting academic medicine directly to the communities in which they live,” said Dr. Paul Casey, senior vice president and chief medical officer at Rush University Medical Center. “This is a great opportunity to work together toward a common goal of creating healthier communities.”
Rush and Franciscan have existing clinical partnerships, including an arrangement for Rush neurologists to provide virtual, real-time treatment for stroke patients presenting to Franciscan emergency rooms. In February, Franciscan Health Cancer Center Munster and Rush announced an agreement to bring the health system's thoracic surgeons to the Franciscan Health Munster and Dyer campuses.
In January, Rush and Franciscan Alliance Inc., announced an agreement that provides advisory services to assist Franciscan Health Olympia Fields in graduate medical education and physician recruitment, allowing trainees to participate in RUSH grand rounds and other educational activities.
