Kaleida Health Reaches Agreement with Independent Health, Univera Healthcare

FOR RELEASE: 1/14/2010

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Kaleida Health recently reached multi-year agreements with Independent Health and Univera Healthcare.

The new agreements assure that Independent Health and Univera members will continue to have access to all of Kaleida Health’s facilities including the Buffalo General Hospital, DeGraff Memorial Hospital, Millard Fillmore Gates Circle Hospital, Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo, the Visiting Nursing Association of Western New York, Millard Fillmore Ambulatory Surgery Center as well as Kaleida Health’s 96 ambulatory care clinics, and four long-term care facilities.

“These collaborative agreements reflect Independent Health’s and Univera Healthcare’s continued partnership with our organization,” said James R. Kaskie, president and CEO of Kaleida Health. “We share a common vision regarding reforming health care, providing the highest quality of care and technology for our patients while keeping the best and brightest physicians practicing right here in our community.” 

The ongoing partnership with Independent Health and Univera Healthcare will make it attractive as possible for physicians to practice at the Kaleida Health facilities. The physician, payor and hospital provider enhanced commitment to quality will continue to be the focus. Kaskie said the new contracts include performance incentives around reaching quality of care goals.

“Collaboration among all the stakeholders is key to maintaining and building upon our region’s tradition of high quality, affordable health care,” said Art Wingerter, Univera Healthcare president.

“Reversing the high cost of health care is a shared responsibility requiring wide-ranging partnerships and collaboration among physicians, hospitals, other health providers and health plans, all working collaboratively to provide a patient-centered care delivery system,” said Carol Cassell, Executive Vice President, Health Management & Care Delivery, Independent Health.

With 10,000 employees, Kaleida Health is the largest employer as well as health care provider in Western New York. More than one million patient visits are recorded annually throughout the organization.

The agreements took effect January 1, 2010.

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