Baptist Health Care in Northwest Florida Joins Mayo Clinic Care Network

Florida

Baptist Health Care in Northwest Florida Joins Mayo Clinic Care Network

By
mayonewsreleases

July 19, 2013

PENSACOLA, Fla. — Baptist Health Care based in Pensacola is the most recent member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, representatives from Mayo Clinic and BHC announced today. The Mayo Clinic Care Network shares Mayo Clinic's knowledge and expertise with physicians and providers interested in working together to enhance the delivery of health care for their patients. Baptist providers now have access to Mayo Clinic resources, including its online point-of-care information system and electronic consulting process that connects physicians with Mayo Clinic specialists on questions of diagnosis, therapy or care management.

Baptist is the first organization in the region to join the Mayo Clinic Care Network. The organization remains the area's only locally owned, not-for-profit health care system, providing services across northwest Florida and south Alabama.

"Through this relationship, Baptist and Mayo Clinic share a desire to improve the delivery of health care throughout the region with high-quality, evidence-based medical care and treatment," said Mark Faulkner, president and CEO of Baptist Health Care. "Working together, we can treat an increasing number of patients closer to home."

Baptist underwent a thorough review process based on quality, service and operational criteria. The assessment confirmed the commitment Baptist shares with Mayo Clinic in improving the delivery of health care. Baptist's membership is a direct result of its culture and dedication to providing compassionate patient care.

"Baptist is the established, premier health care provider in the region, and by working together through the care network we can accelerate innovative patient care even more," says Stephen Lange, M.D., Southeast medical director of the Mayo Clinic Care Network. "Through this collaboration, patients in the Pensacola area will have access to top providers at Baptist, and also benefit from the leading expertise of specialists at Mayo Clinic."

Baptist physician experts will be able to connect with those at Mayo Clinic on questions of complex medical care using an electronic consulting technique called eConsults. They also will have 24/7 access to Mayo-vetted medical information and guidelines through AskMayoExpert, a Web-based resource created for physicians and other health care providers. These tools, in addition to health care consulting related to clinical and business processes, will allow staff at Baptist to continue to provide the best care for its patients as well as support the organization's mission to improve the quality of health in the community.

Baptist Health Care employs more than 6,700 and is the largest non-government employer in the region. The organization has a strong alignment with more than 700 health care providers — 131 of whom are employed by Baptist.

The Mayo Clinic Care Network represents non-ownership relationships. With Mayo Clinic, members of the network share a commitment to improve the quality and delivery of health care. The primary goal of the Mayo Clinic Care Network is to help people gain the benefits of Mayo Clinic knowledge and expertise close to home, ensuring that patients need to travel for care only when necessary.

The network launched in 2011, and has member organizations based in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Puerto Rico and Mexico.

For more information about Baptist's collaboration with Mayo Clinic, please call 850-434-4080 or visit Baptist Health Care online.

About Baptist Health Care

Baptist Health Care is a community-owned, not-for-profit health care organization committed to improving the quality of life for people and communities in northwest Florida and south Alabama. The organization is a proud a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network. A 2003 Malcolm Baldrige recipient, Baptist continuously strives to be a national leader in quality and service. Baptist Health Care includes four hospitals, two medical parks, Baptist Manor, Baptist Leadership Group, Andrews Institute for Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine, Lakeview Center, Baptist Medical Group, Cardiology Consultants. With more than 6,700 employees and employed physicians, Baptist Health Care is the largest non-governmental employer in northwest Florida.