Johnson Memorial Health Joins Mayo Clinic Care Network
Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing
Photography Provided
Johnson Memorial Health (JMH) is a nationally recognized network of physicians and health-care resources that recently became even more robust since joining the Mayo Clinic Care Network, a select group of independent health-care providers. Each is carefully vetted by Mayo Clinic and granted special access to Mayo’s clinical, educational, research and operational knowledge, expertise and resources.
The Mayo Clinic Care Network is not a merger, acquisition or consolidation of hospitals or health-care providers. Rather, it is a collaboration between Mayo Clinic and network members, and it’s a partnership that enables patients to get a second opinion without having to leave Johnson County. Created in 2011, the Mayo Clinic Care Network has 47 member organizations across the U.S., Asia, India, Mexico and the Middle East.
“We are honored to enter into this collaborative relationship with Mayo Clinic,” says David Dunkle, M.D., president and CEO of JMH. “Our providers will be able to consult directly with the world’s leading medical experts, enhancing the outstanding care we already provide to the people of Johnson County. Best of all, our patients will have access to Mayo Clinic’s research, diagnostic and treatment resources through their Johnson Memorial Health provider at no extra cost to them.”
JMH partners with Hancock Health and Hendricks Regional Health, all of whom are part of a collaborative called Suburban Health Organization, which is comprised of community-based Indiana hospitals who work together to improve access to high-quality health care. They all work together to increase their ability to provide excellent local care.
“I can speak for the community leaders that serve with me how exciting this collaboration is for our organization and for our community,” says R. Martin Umbarger, JMH Board of Trustees chairperson. “This is a major milestone in the history of Johnson Memorial Health and I couldn’t be more proud.”
Mayo Clinic’s reputation is unsurpassed, which makes sense given that it is known as one of the top hospitals in the world. It is recognized globally as the world leader in high-acuity health care. Patients appreciate that they have the option of having Mayo Clinic review their case, with no additional cost to them.
“We are excited to welcome Johnson Memorial Health to the Mayo Clinic Care Network,” says Mark V. Larson, M.D., medical director of the Mayo Clinic Care Network. “With Johnson Memorial Health, we share common values, mission and commitment to consistently improve the delivery of health care to patients.”
Staff from JMH can use Mayo Clinic educational materials designed for patients, and access opportunities for professional development and continuous medical education. Through JMH’s membership in the Mayo Clinic Care Network, their physicians have access to Mayo Clinic clinical solutions and services, including AskMayoExpert, a database of clinical information on hundreds of medical conditions; eConsults, which enable physicians to contact Mayo Clinic specialists for second opinions on specific patient cases; health-care consulting, which provides access to Mayo’s extensive experience, knowledge and subspecialty expertise; and eBoards, live video conferences that enable medical teams to virtually review and discuss complex cases with Mayo Clinic specialists.
Every case is, of course, different. In some instances, patients are in search of a second opinion. In other cases, they are looking for alternative treatment options. They may find that the best approach is to be assessed at Mayo, particularly if the case is complicated or multidisciplinary. If a person’s illness is affecting several body systems, it may be best to be evaluated at Mayo Clinic. What’s great about that is the patient is already established so their records have typically been sent over previously, thereby making the process even smoother for the patient.
Having additional physicians in your corner and at your fingertips – the cream of the crop, at that – is truly wonderful and, in some cases, life-changing, because at Mayo Clinic there are specialists, subspecialists, and sub-subspecialists. These docs are on top of the latest data and research in their particular area. Having that kind of knowledge so readily available is mighty helpful.
In the final analysis, this partnership between JMH and Mayo Clinic is all about establishing a collaboration of care.
“Mayo Clinic looks forward to working closely with our new colleagues at Johnson Memorial Health to help provide their patients with the latest medical knowledge and expertise,” Larson says.
For more info on Johnson Memorial Health, explore johnsonmemorial.org.
