WellStar Health System, Mayo Clinic Announce Collaboration
The Atlanta, Ga.-based WellStar Health System has announced that it is joining the Mayo Clinic Care Network, a national network of like-minded organizations that share a commitment to better serving patients and their families.
WellStar is the largest member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network in the southeast and the only member in metro Atlanta, serving a population of more than 1.4 million residents in five counties. The Mayo Clinic Network, which began in 2011, has member organizations in 14 states as well as Puerto Rico and Mexico. The main goal of the network is to help people gain the benefits of Mayo Clinic without having to travel to a Mayo facility.
Using digital technology to promote physician collaboration and sharing of the latest medical information, WellStar and Mayo Clinic will aim to work together to further enhance the delivery of healthcare for patients, allowing many patients to avoid unnecessary travel for answers to complex medical questions, Mayo’s officials say.
Specialists at WellStar can now consult Mayo Clinic using a variety of electronic tools and services, and connect directly with the Clinic on complex diagnosis and treatment plans. These tools and services include:
- eConsults: Physicians use electronic consulting to connect directly with Mayo Clinic specialists on complex patient cases.
- AskMayoExpert: Providers have 24/7 access to Mayo-vetted medical information and guidelines through AskMayoExpert, a Web-based resource created for physicians and other healthcare providers.
- Healthcare consulting: Related to clinical and business processes, this relationship will allow WellStar providers to accelerate innovations in care
“With WellStar we share common values, mission and commitment to consistently improve the delivery of healthcare to patients,” Stephen Lange, M.D., southeast medical director of Mayo Clinic Care Network, said in a statement. “Working together, we can increasingly assure patients that they have access to the latest medical knowledge here, in their community.”
