Three leading healthcare organizations – Bellin Health, Children’s Wisconsin and ThedaCare – announced a new pediatric joint venture with a shared focus on improving the health and well-being of children and adolescents in Northeast and Central Wisconsin, as well as the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
The organizations, which will remain independent entities and continue to be responsible for the day-to-day operations of pediatric services at their clinics and facilities, will work closely together to enhance pediatric primary and specialty care to benefit children and adolescents in the region. Direct benefits to patients will include:
• Additional pediatric services and specialists to expand access to local, close-to-home care.
• A reduced need for children and their families to travel outside the region when a higher level of care is needed.
• Tailored child and adolescent services that meet community-specific needs.
• Better and more efficient care through seamless care coordination and tighter alignment across the three systems.
“Through this partnership, we will create a destination for pediatric health and well-being right here in Northeast Wisconsin,” said Dr. Imran Andrabi, president and CEO of ThedaCare. “By working together in new and innovative ways, we will make additional pediatric services available closer to home for people in the region.”
The partnership will provide a consistent experience that uses best-practice standards of care across organizations, Andrabi said.
Patients will continue to see the providers they know within their communities, but when they need a higher level of care, the partnership and connectivity will allow for a more seamless transition, said Chris Woleske, president and CEO, Bellin Health.
“The result will be a better patient experience that saves families valuable time, energy, and cost, allowing them to focus on what matters most — supporting their loved ones,” Woleske said.
The partnership builds on the existing long-term relationships between Children’s Wisconsin and ThedaCare, and between ThedaCare and Bellin Health.
For instance, Bellin and ThedaCare have primary care networks that together provide more than 180,000 pediatric care visits with nearly 430 providers across about 70 locations throughout the region.
Children’s Wisconsin has operated a pediatric hospital, including a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Pediatric Unit, at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah since 2001. It also offers dozens of pediatric specialties, including more than 20 in Northeast Wisconsin, and is one of the top-ranked pediatric health systems in the country. Children’s also recently announced plans for a new outpatient clinic representing a significant investment in the region.
A Joint Operating Board with three representatives from each partner organization will govern the joint venture.
