Memphis-based Methodist Healthcare taps into Mayo Clinic network

July 23--A new collaboration between the Minnesota-based Mayo Clinic and Methodist Healthcare will allow the Memphis health system to tap the expertise of one of the world's leading health care organizations, officials will announce Thursday.

Methodist has joined the Mayo Clinic Care Network, bringing to 33 the number of health systems or hospitals on the list since the network began in September 2011.

The collaboration will allow Methodist physicians to upload information and "eConsult" electronically with some 4,000 Mayo physicians and scientists, give doctors access to Mayo "AskMayoExpert" information while they're delivering care and provide Mayo education materials for patients. Discussion of complex cancer cases with Mayo and other specialists in the network will be held on "eTumor Board" conferences.

"This is to bring care in the Mid-South community, making it accessible for folks who live here to get Mayo-level care without having to leave the community," Michael Ugwueke, Methodist president and chief operating officer, said in an interview on Wednesday.

"It is something that is great for the community, it's going to be great for physicians and great especially for patients," said Gary Shorb, Methodist's chief executive. "It's a big deal."

President Obama has cited the Mayo Clinic as a model for health care reform with its physicians on salaries and collaborative culture with a motto of "the needs of the patient come first."

Headquartered in Rochester, Minnesota, and founded more than 150 years ago, it includes medical and graduate schools, two other main campuses in Jacksonville, Florida, and the Phoenix area and a health system clustered within 100 miles of Rochester. In its latest year, 1.3 million people from 50 states and 143 countries received Mayo Clinic care, generating nearly $9.8 billion in total revenue.

Methodist began working with Mayo more than a year ago in a vetting process that ranged from reams of data to a site visit.

"Our culture is truly aligned with Mayo's culture in a number of ways," said Ugwueke, Methodist's point man in the process.

Dr. David Hayes, Mayo Clinic Affiliated Practice Network medical director, said that a patient-centered culture tops the list of organizational traits for Mayo.

"We want strong regional members that we can work with," Hayes said, and the arrangement is exclusive to the health systems selected in a region.

While the Mayo Clinic has a strong brand, regional collaborations allow more patients in metro areas like Memphis to get to know it, while patients who don't really need to travel to an academic medical center for a second opinion or review can stay home, Hayes said.

"If we can do that through electronic consultations, it helps keep the patient at home, it's better for the patient, it's better for the organization and it's better for us," he said.

Methodist, a seven-hospital system, will pay an annual subscription to Mayo Clinic, based on a formula including use, but officials declined to disclose costs.

"If a patient has an eConsult done, we don't allow them to pass those costs on to the patient," Hayes said. "It's all about the needs of the patient comes first."

Shorb said that the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis remains Methodist's academic partner and the Mayo collaboration is going to enhance UTHSC researchers, faculty and residents as well as other Methodist physicians.

Methodist also gains access to expertise at Mayo and other members of its network for organizational needs and ideas. Offering executive physicals, thorough exams offered in Rochester, is an example of an idea Methodist will pursue, Shorb said.

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