The Oregon Health Authority approved the Cascades Rural High Value Network as rural hospitals across the state contend with rising costs and difficulty hiring staff in communities far from urban centers, NPR affiliate Jefferson Public Radio reported Oct. 20.
The 11-hospital network will let members pool their purchasing power for supplies and equipment, giving them economies of scale comparable to larger systems, according to the report. Members include Coos Bay-based Bay Area Hospital, La Grande-based Grande Ronde Hospital in La Grande and Gold Beach-based Curry Health District. They will also share data tools that combine payer and patient record information to flag high-risk patients early.
Each hospital remains independent while jointly owning and operating the network. Cibolo Health, which runs similar rural hospital networks across the country, will manage it.
The network requested $17.5 million over five years from the federal Rural Health Transformation Program to fund the shared data system, care coordinators and a hub for specialist referrals and patient transfers, according to the report.
OHA’s approval requires members to remain independently owned and operated for at least five years, bars them from sharing sensitive pricing information and mandates an annual progress report.
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