This is an exciting time for us, and for our patients, business partners, employees and the entire community. Two great organizations have come together to create a new vision for healthcare in central Illinois!
On November 5, 2013, the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board gave final approval for the affiliation between Proctor and UnityPoint Health – Methodist. The boards of directors of both organizations had previously approved the agreement, which became effective on November 7th.
This means that Proctor, along with its physicians, clinic sites and other services, including the Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery and Hult Center for Healthy Living, are now a part of the UnityPoint Health family. By bringing Methodist and Proctor together, we are creating a unified health system that will strengthen healthcare services in Peoria and the surrounding region.
As you know, the American healthcare system is going through a major transformation. We will be going through a transformation, too. In the days and months to come, you will see us developing innovative, new ways to deliver patient care. We will build on the strengths of both organizations to provide the highest quality for the best outcome for every patient, every time. We will coordinate resources, technology and purchasing to deliver greater healthcare value. And with two convenient campuses and nearly 40 clinic locations, we will improve access throughout our community.
The elements of this modern, patient-centered delivery system include improving care coordination and sharing best practices. Both Methodist and Proctor will move to the same electronic medical records system during the next year, so doctors at all of our locations will have immediate, secure access to your health and medication history. And we’ll collaborate as a team—your team—providing coordinated care between your doctor’s office, your hospital and even in your home. Our commitment is to get you healthy more quickly, and help you stay that way.
To help lead this transformation, I have formed an integration steering team consisting of executives and physician representatives from both organizations. I have also committed to strong engagement of physicians, leadership and staff as we move through the planning process. We hope to share our vision for the combined entity in early 2014. Moving forward from there, integration of services will begin and continue throughout 2014. Our goal is to optimize our two campuses, multiple ambulatory and clinical sites, and educational services to better serve central Illinois.
We are also committed to being as transparent as possible throughout this process. I invite you to contact me if you have any questions and to share your ideas. In return, we will issue regular progress reports to keep our community informed about our journey.
We look forward to continuing to serve you as we inspire the future and realize our new vision. iBi
