St. Louis-based SSM Health on Thursday said it planned to join the Integrated Health Network of Wisconsin, an accountable care organization.
With the addition of SSM, the network will now include 45 hospitals, 555 clinics and about 5,700 other participating healthcare providers.
SSM Health owns three hospitals, St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison, St. Mary’s Janesville Hospital, and St. Clare Hospital in Baraboo, as well as several clinics and a health plan.
“The scope of SSM Health, its hospitals and clinics, and their substantial experience in managing large patient populations through ownership of Dean Health Plan are significant, and we are eager to determine how to best leverage that to improve quality and control costs,” said Kurt Janavitz, chief executive officer of Integrated Health Network, in a statement.
SSM purchased Dean Health Plan in 2013, which now covers more than 425,000 people.
It also owns pharmacy benefit management services company Navitus serving 4 million members in partnership with 63,000 pharmacies.
The IHN network includes Agnesian HealthCare, Columbia St. Mary’s, Froedtert Health, the Medical College of Wisconsin, Hospital Sisters Health System, Ministry Health Care and Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare. Including other physician partners, the ACO treats nearly 3 million patients a year.
