HOSPITALS: MASSACHUSETTS, CALIFORNIA CENTERS IN THE NEWS
The University of Massachusetts (UMass) Medical Center inThis is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
Worcester announced Thursday that it will expand its presence in
the western part of the state through new affiliations with three
hospitals, BOSTON GLOBE reports. Dr. Arthur Russo, the deputy
chancellor for clinical affairs at UMass, said the agreement
"expands the geographic base" from which the medical center draws
patients and noted that it brings the number of hospitals that
have formed alliances with UMass to 12. The three hospitals --
Wing Memorial, Noble and Holyoke -- will not be required to send
their patients to UMass Medical Center for specialized care.
They will remain "economically independent, but will participate
in joint teaching, clinical and research programs."
MORE: UMass is one of three health systems in the Worcester
market and has annual revenues of $508 million. GLOBE notes that
70% of Worcester-area residents are enrolled in managed care
plans, giving it "the country's highest concentration of managed
care" (Pham, 6/21).
UC-IRVINE: ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER reports that the
University of California, Irvine (UCI) Medical Center is
negotiating partnership arrangements with as many as 12 hospital
chains. The public medical center, which serves as Orange
County's "main provider of indigent care," is expected to lose
nearly $9 million this fiscal year, even after laying off 151
people. Hospital administrators blamed the center's demise on
its inability to form "business alliances" with doctors groups
and HMOs. The hospital is expected to ask the UC Board of
Regents for permission to begin accepting "formal proposals" for
ownership or management contracts (Kelleher, 6/20).