Independent hospitals form partnership to strengethen Kansas healthcare

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Five Independent Kansas hospitals formed a partnership to strengthen healthcare across the state. Amberwell Health, LMH Health, Salina Regional Health Center, Newman Regional Health and The University of Kansas Health System banned together to create Astra Health, a new collaboration. Astra Health seeks to improve clinical outcomes, access to care and bring more affordable healthcare options for Kansans. Through this collaboration, these hospitals will gain shared capabilities of larger health systems while keeping their own identities and independence. The collaboration will also allow each of these hospitals to bring more quality care to their communities. Astra Health's participating hospitals will begin by exchanging information and resources to create shared quality metrics, enhanced tools to support care and decrease costs for patients and employers. Astra Health recently received a Regional Partnership award as part of the Kansas Rural Health Transformation Plan. The award will help develop shared infrastructure and performance metric reporting across the founding members. Cathy Pimple, CEO of Newman Regional Health, shared the vision for the future of the collaboration: 'Through Astra Health, independent hospitals are proving that we can achieve the strength and scale of a larger system without giving up the local identity, relationships and decision-making our communities value. By working together, we can improve quality, lower costs and ensure Kansans continue to have access to exceptional care close to home.' Healthcare affordability and access are reportedly significant challenges for individuals and communities. Astra Health seeks to change the healthcare landscape to meet the need and offer choice and flexibility. As Astra Health moves forward, the participating health systems will look to develop solutions that help employers' rising healthcare costs. Astra Health also seeks to enhance the Kansas Clinical Improvement Collaborative (KCIC) network and its participants with management services and investments.