Novant Health, UVA Discussing Northern Virginia Regional Health System

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Mar 11, 2015, 11:39 ET

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., and WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., March 11, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- University of Virginia Health System and Novant Health are in discussions to create a Northern Virginia regional health system. The proposed agreement would include UVA Culpeper Hospital and all of Novant Health's Virginia facilities, including Novant Health Haymarket Medical Center, Novant Health Prince William Medical Center and Novant Health Cancer Center.

Based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Novant Health provides care at 14 medical centers.

Representatives from UVA and Novant Health have signed a non-binding letter of intent and started discussions to create a joint operating company for UVA Culpeper Hospital and Novant Health's Virginia operations by June 30, 2015. The discussions will include how Novant Health and UVA can integrate or coordinate cancer care across Northern Virginia, increasing access to UVA's subspecialty cancer care throughout the regional health system.

"We believe a joint operating company will help ensure patients throughout Northern Virginia receive quality care at the right time and the right place, while also providing care in a more efficient manner. We also look forward to expanding the use of our Be Safe initiative – our real-time problem-solving process to improve patient safety – to enhance quality care throughout the region," said Richard P. Shannon, MD, UVA's executive vice president for health affairs. "Novant Health has a long track record of successfully managing community health systems, making them an ideal partner for this alliance."

"Through this new regional health system, patients will be able to connect with the expertise UVA provides as an academic medical center, including subspecialty care and potential breakthrough treatments through clinical trials, while benefitting from Novant Health's experience with increasing access to care when and where patients need it," said Carl S. Armato, president and CEO of Novant Health. "Novant Health has a strong presence in Northern Virginia and this proposed partnership only strengthens our ability to identify best practices, advance our population health strategy and lower healthcare costs."

Under the proposed arrangement, UVA and Novant Health intend for each of the hospitals in the regional health system to continue directly employing all existing staff.

Additional details about the partnership will be developed over the next few months and will include discussions with UVA and Novant Health's governing boards, physician partners, team members and communities. Final details are anticipated to be announced in July 2015.

About UVA Health System
UVA Health System is an academic health system that includes a 612-bed hospital, the UVA School of Medicine, a level I trauma center, nationally recognized cancer and heart centers and primary and specialty clinics throughout Central Virginia. UVA is recognized for excellence by U.S. News & World Report, Best Doctors in America and America's Top Doctors.

About Novant Health
Novant Health is a four-state integrated network of physician clinics, outpatient centers and hospitals that delivers a seamless and convenient healthcare experience to our communities. Novant Health consists of more than 1,200 physicians and 26,000 employees who make healthcare remarkable at nearly 500 locations, including 14 medical centers and hundreds of outpatient facilities and physician clinics. Headquartered in Winston-Salem, N.C., Novant Health is committed to making healthcare remarkable for patients and communities, serving more than four million patients annually. In 2013, Novant Health provided more than $566 million in community benefit including charity care and services. Novant Health is an IMS Health top 20 integrated delivery network.

For more information, please visit our website at NovantHealth.org. You can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

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SOURCE Novant Health