Unity Health has joined the Mayo Clinic Care Network, which will give the Searcy-based hospital and its patients access to the prestigious Mayo Clinic’s team of expert doctors.
Unity Health is the first hospital in Arkansas to join the network, which will provide the latest Mayo Clinic knowledge and promotes collaboration among the two hospitals’ physicians and help answer complex medical questions.
The Mayo Clinic is considered one of the best hospitals in the world and is based in Rochester, Minn.
“Our membership in the Mayo Clinic Care Network is the result of our shared commitment with Mayo Clinic to improve the delivery of health care through high-quality, evidence-based medical care and treatment,” said Dr. John Henderson, Unity Health’s chief medical officer.
“Although some patients will still need to travel to Mayo Clinic for specialty care not available in our community, by sharing medical expertise through the Mayo Clinic Care Network, we hope to provide most patients with the ability to stay close to home for care whenever possible,” he said.
As a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, Unity Health will be able to offer and access:
eConsults that enable Unity Health physicians to connect electronically with Mayo specialists for additional input on a patient’s care;
The AskMayoExpert database that offers Mayo-vetted information on disease management, care guidelines, treatment recommendations and reference materials for medical conditions;
eTumor Board conferences that invite Unity Health physicians to discuss complex cancer cases with a panel of Mayo specialists, and
Unity Health will also be able to learn about Mayo’s clinical, operational and business models, including their design and implementation.
Unity Health providers can access the Mayo Clinic’s extensive library of patient education materials and view archived Mayo Clinic grand rounds presentations that feature Mayo physicians and scientists.
The network began in 2011 has more than 35 member organizations in the U.S., Mexico, Puerto Rico and Singapore.
“We are pleased to welcome Unity Health to the Mayo Clinic Care Network,” said Dr. Ryan Uitti, medical director of Mayo Clinic Care Network’s Southeast Region.
“Patient-centered care is the foundation of our collaboration. We are eager to work toward our common goal of improving the delivery of health care for our patients,” he said.
Unity Health, formerly White County Medical Center, is the largest employer in a seven-county area with more than 150 physicians and 2,000 associates. It has three hospitals and more than 15 clinics, including primary care, oncology, cardiology, behavioral health and orthopedic care.
