Mayo Clinic officials today announced Heartland Health is joining the Mayo Clinic Care Network. Officials say Heartland physicians will have access to the world-renowned health care facility’s doctors and expertise.
Dr. David Hayes M.D. is the medical director for the Mayo Clinic Care Network.
Hayes says the partnership will provide access to clinicians within all specialties. He says it should be seamless for the patient.
“If a Heartland Health clinician says this is a case where I’d like another opinion, or perhaps if a patient says I’d like another opinion, then right now we establish that electronically,” Hayes said. “Their records are electronically organized and sent to us, we do the review of that information by the appropriate sub-specialist, and it’s returned to Heartland Health.”
“Now in the future we think there will be perhaps some video consultations, and other ways we approach this as well. Right now it’s through this electronic review of the records.”
A gathering of 300 or more health-care providers, government and business officials flocked to a Heartland meeting room as Dr. Hayes presented Heartland CEO Dr. Mark Laney M.D. with a plaque noting the new partnership. Dr. Laney said he took some of his medical training at Mayo, and wore one of his many neckties bearing the Mayo’s shield logos.
Ted Allison of the St Joseph Metro Chamber of Commerce called it a great day, and said it marked an opportunity for our hospital to go to the next level.
“I think this is the early stage of something that will get even better over time,” Allison said. “There’s a lot of good that can come from this, and I see absolutely no downside.”
Laney says patients and both medical centers can benefit from the collaboration.
“This membership will give patients the benefit of Mayo Clinic’s expertise right here at Heartland,” Laney said. “Our patients will benefit from the collaborations between Heartland physicians and Mayo’s team of experts.”
“We’ll draw from their deep knowledge, and evidence-based medicine, to serve our communities.”
Hayes says the consultations should not cost patients any more than they are already paying.