Together Health Network Board Members and Interim CEO Named

Detroit, MI (PRWEB) July 07, 2014

Together Health Network, the clinically integrated network formed in May as a collaboration between Ascension Health Michigan and CHE Trinity Health Michigan and physician partners across the state, has named its first Board of Managers and an interim CEO.

Rick O'Connell, president of Trinity Health Division and executive vice president of CHE Trinity Health, has been appointed Chairman of the Board of Managers. O'Connell, along with Patricia Maryland, Dr.PH, president of Health Care Operations and Chief Operating Officer of Ascension Health served as co-chairs of the steering committee that conceived and planned the new organization.

Scott Eathorne, MD, one of the key physicians who led planning of the new network, will serve as interim CEO of Together Health Network. He will take a leave of absence from his role as President of Partners in Care, a physician hospital organization representing the partnership between The Physician Alliance and its 2100 physicians, and the St. John Providence Health System.

Together Health decided to fill the CEO position on an interim basis immediately, since the newly-formed organization is already being contacted by payers and potential partners. A full-time leader is needed to ensure the business plans move forward.

"Dr. Eathorne's acceptance of the interim CEO position ensures that we are starting Together Health Network with the right leader who will guide us in the right direction," said O'Connell. "Scott was on our steering committee since the inception of this collaboration, and brought not only the physician perspective to the table, but essential expertise in population health management."

Dr. Eathorne's experience as the founding President and CEO of Partners in Care will be a considerable asset in quickly growing Together Health Network infrastructure, capabilities and business partners. "This is an exciting time to be defining the 'new normal' in delivering health care, to be in a position to help people manage a lifetime of health and well-being," says Dr. Eathorne. "Our provider network is committed to delivering high value health care, to promoting wellness within our communities, and to managing the health of Michiganders on a broad scale."

Dr. Eathorne is a family and athletic medicine physician who has served as the President and CEO of St John Providence Partners in Care since its inception in 2011. He was instrumental in the development of The Physician Alliance, consisting of 2100 multispecialty physicians, which partnered with St John Providence Health System to form Partners in Care. Prior to that, he served as the Medical Director for the Providence Medical Group. He has been actively involved in healthcare transformation, as a clinician and physician leader, focusing on the Patient Centered Medical Home model, successful integration of enabling technologies and development of care management services in an effort to improve population health.

One of the key tenets in creation of Together Health Network was the decision to have a physician-majority board, physician CEO and physician led committees. The 15-member board will include nine physicians, four health system executives and two community members. The inaugural Board of Managers will consist of:

   •  Dottie Deremo, RN, Principal Partner, The Deremo Group and Executive Emeritus, Hospice of Michigan
   •  Dr. Eathorne, who serves on the board in his capacity as interim CEO
   •  James Fox, MD, emergency medicine, Vice President, Emergency Medicine Specialists, PC and on staff at St. John Providence Health System
   •  Michael Gusho, CFO, Saint Joseph Mercy Health System
   •  Gwen MacKenzie, Senior Vice President, Ascension Health and Michigan Market Leader
   •  Imad Mansoor, MD, internal medicine, Chief Medical Officer of Oakland Physician Network Services, Inc. and on staff at Saint Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital
   •  Patrick McGuire, CFO, Ascension Michigan and Executive Vice President, St. John Providence Health System
   •  Rick O'Connell, president of Trinity Health Division and executive vice president of CHE Trinity Health and Chairman of the Together Health Network Board
   •  Dennis Ramus, MD, family medicine, Bay Area Family Physicians, PC and on staff at St. John Providence Health System
   •  Sridhar Rao, MD, family medicine, Genesys Integrated Group Practice and on staff at Genesys Regional Medical Center
   •  David Steinberger, MD, internal medicine, Infinity Primary Care and Associate Program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency at St. Mary Mercy Livonia
   •  Paul Valenstein, MD, clinical pathologist, IHA and President of the Saint Joseph Mercy Health Partners Clinically Integrated Network
   •  David Van Winkle, MD, family medicine, Medical Director, Lakeshore Health Network and West Michigan</location> Regional Clinically Integrated Network and on staff at Mercy Health
   •  Stacey Watson, MD, internal medicine, Vice President Clinical Practice and Integration at Borgess Health
   •  Howard Zuckerman, Ph.D, Professor (retired), Department of Health Services, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington Additional information about each Board member can be found on Together Health Network's website: http://www.togetherhealthnetwork.org/leadership.html

Together Heath Network has a state-wide geographic presence including 27 hospitals and thousands of ambulatory centers and physician offices. The network will improve access, cost and quality of care for communities throughout Michigan by working with payers to develop a wide range of health plan products, including those purchased on the Health Insurance Marketplace and private exchanges. It is estimated that 75% of Michiganders will be within 20 minutes of a Together Health Network provider.

Formation of the network was spurred by changes in health care delivery to a new approach that focuses not solely on episodic care but rather a coordinated continuum of value-based services that keep populations healthy.

Both Ascension and CHE Trinity Health are considered leaders in the state in performing at benchmark levels in terms of quality, while at the same time delivering care at cost levels well below the state average. This collaboration allows the two entities and physician partners to combine their track records of high performance in terms of cost and quality into one, state-wide product unlike any other.

About Together Health Network
Together Health Network fills a consumer need across Michigan for trusted and complete healthcare that is person-focused, physician led, and powered by the Michigan-based health systems of Ascension Health and CHE Trinity Health. Launched in May 2014 to support population health management, the clinically integrated network will provide advanced care coordination services and launch new, competitive health plan products. It is estimated that 75% of Michigan residents are within 20 minutes of one of the network's 27 hospitals and thousands of ambulatory centers and physician offices. For more information, visit http://www.togetherhealthnetwork.org/.

About CHE Trinity Health - Michigan
CHE Trinity Health - Michigan is a leading health care provider and one of the state's largest employers, with almost 29,000 colleagues serving 31 counties and providing the full continuum of care for Michigan's residents through 13 hospitals, which include the six hospitals of Saint Joseph Mercy Health System in Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Oakland, Livingston, Livonia and Port Huron, and seven-hospital Mercy Health operating in Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Grayling and Cadillac. The systems also operate numerous ambulatory sites, nine nursing homes, 27 CHE Trinity Senior Living Communities, 10 home health care agencies and six hospices. Nationally, CHE Trinity Health is the second-largest Catholic health care system in the country. Based in Livonia, Mich., CHE Trinity Health operates in 20 states, employs nearly 87,000 people, has annual operating revenues of about $13.3 billion and assets of about $19.3 billion. Additionally, the new organization returns almost $1 billion to its communities annually in the form of charity care and other community benefit programs.

About Ascension Health Michigan
The Michigan Health Ministries of Ascension Health include Borgess Health in Kalamazoo, Genesys Health System in Grand Blanc, St. John Providence Health System in Metro Detroit, St. Joseph Health System in Tawas and St. Mary's of Michigan in Saginaw. Together, the health systems employ more than 30,000 associates and are a major economic driver in the state, with $1.5 billion in payroll each year. In fiscal year 2013, the Michigan Health Ministries provided more than $240 million in community benefit and care of the poor. Nationally, Ascension Health is leading the transformation of healthcare by providing the highest quality care to all, with special attention to those who are poor and vulnerable. Ascension Health, which provided $1.5 billion in care of persons living in poverty and other community benefit programs last year, is the nation's largest Catholic and largest nonprofit health system. Its Mission-focused Health Ministries employ more than 155,000 associates serving in more than 1,900 sites of care in 23 states and the District of Columbia.

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