Scottsdale Healthcare plans NE Phoenix expansion

Greater convenience, more access to care closer to home cited as benefit for patients

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Dec. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Scottsdale Healthcare announced today it is opening new primary care offices and actively pursuing locations for additional ambulatory services in Northeast Phoenix.

Expansion in Northeast Phoenix is part of the nonprofit health system's effort to broaden services in partnership with community physicians and diversify beyond its three hospital campuses in Scottsdale. Still in planning stages, the expansion may include primary care and specialist physician offices, outpatient surgery, diagnostic imaging, laboratory, occupational health and wellness services.

Two new Scottsdale Healthcare Primary Care physician offices are slated to open in January in Phoenix and Tempe, joining sister locations in Arcadia, Scottsdale and Grayhawk.

"Scottsdale Healthcare hospitals have served the Northeast Valley for 50 years, and placing needed services closer to where our patients live is part of how we want to transform the way care is provided over the next 50 years," said Scottsdale Healthcare President and CEO Tom Sadvary. 

Healthcare and insurance reform, and consumer demand, are placing more emphasis on outpatient care and wellness, including management of chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension, according to Sadvary.

"By collaborating with our physicians we can offer Northeast Phoenix residents more access to quality medical care and better coordination of care between patients, physicians and hospitals. Our intent is to create opportunities for better managing one's health and contribute to reducing overall costs for medical care," explained Sadvary.

Healthcare consumers want convenience, quality and value, added Scottsdale Healthcare Senior Vice President Gary Baker. "Our goal is providing multiple access points for care, promoting wellness and disease prevention, helping individuals proactively manage chronic disease, and providing the highest-quality care and service that patients expect from Scottsdale Healthcare," said Baker.

Scottsdale Healthcare has been expanding its infrastructure to create a clinically integrated network of care through investments in information technology and connectivity with physician offices, disease management infrastructure, and alignment with leading private practice physicians.

The new practices will become members of the Scottsdale Health Partners network, a joint venture between Scottsdale Healthcare and the Scottsdale Physician Organization, that was successfully launched this year.

"Scottsdale Health Partners includes more than 450 independent physicians covering the Northeast Valley. Through this strong partnership, physicians are helping us co-develop how Scottsdale Healthcare will be successful in a value-based environment," said Sadvary.

"The vision of Scottsdale Healthcare and SHP is to embrace a pluralistic model of physician alignment, supporting employed and private physicians in improving care for patients in our community. It is a partnership based on a shared culture of quality, a desire to improve coordination of care and patient access, and a mutual engagement in improving patient outcomes," added Richard Silver, MD, chief medical officer and vice president, Physician Alignment for Scottsdale Healthcare.

Scottsdale Healthcare's track record of success with strategic partnerships illustrates its commitment to collaborations that are focused on achieving the highest quality care and best patient experience, noted Sadvary.

"We believe that working collaboratively with our physicians is the best way to expand beyond acute care. Hospitals and health providers must change the way they do business to ensure a strong future in this era of health reform. It makes sense to bring our services closer to patients in the communities we serve and provide greater value for healthcare consumers," said Sadvary.

"Our ambulatory services expansion will not only benefit consumers by bringing the right mix of services in the right locations, it allows Scottsdale Healthcare to explore additional partnerships with physicians to extend our high quality care in outpatient settings in addition to our Osborn, Shea and Thompson Peak hospital campuses," added Baker.

Scottsdale Healthcare is the largest employer in Scottsdale, Arizona and the nonprofit parent organization of Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn Medical Center, Scottsdale Healthcare Shea Medical Center and Scottsdale Healthcare Thompson Peak Hospital, Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare, Scottsdale Healthcare Research Institute and Scottsdale Healthcare Foundation. For more information, visit www.shc.org.

SOURCE Scottsdale Healthcare