UW Medicine is launching a public-private partnership with RCCH HealthCare Partners (RCCH) to provide clinical and quality expertise to facilities and providers in Washington, Idaho and Alaska.
Under the partnership, RCCH will form a Limited Liability Company that will own and operate community hospitals or other healthcare entities in the region. UW Medicine will have an equity stake in facilities acquired by the partnership and will provide consultation and oversight to ensure that each hospital has an effective quality program. Hospitals within the partnership will retain their local leadership and existing hospital names, but will be branded as “A UW Medicine Community Health Partner.”
“Our affiliation with RCCH is an ideal complement to the important and valuable teaching and research relationships we’ve built over the decades in the WWAMI region,” said Dr. Paul Ramsey, CEO, UW Medicine. “Helping hospitals throughout the region improve their quality and safety is part of UW Medicine’s overall mission to improve the health of the public.”
The first hospital in the partnership will be Capital Medical Center, where UW Medicine already has existing relationships through an affiliation agreement, the UW Medicine Accountable Care Network and the jointly established the Olympia-based UW Neighborhood Clinic.
RCCH operates 16 regional health systems in 12 states. In addition to Capital Medical Center, these include Community Medical Center in Missoula, Montana, and St. Joseph Medical Center in Lewiston, Idaho. RCCH is also expanding in eastern Washington.
For more information, see the press release and FAQ.
