Beacon Health System joins Mayo Clinic Care Network

Beacon Health System and Mayo Clinic announced today that Beacon has joined the Mayo Clinic Care Network, a network of health care providers committed to serving patients and their families through collaboration.

Beacon is the first health care organization in Indiana to join the network. The formal agreement gives Beacon access to the latest Mayo Clinic knowledge and promotes collaboration among physicians to benefit patients. Through these shared resources, more patients can get answers to complex medical questions — and peace of mind —while staying close to home.

“We believe our patients in this community get great care; however, there are times when even the best physicians and nurses need additional resources and clinical expertise,” says Kreg Gruber, chief operating officer, Beacon Health System. “This collaboration with Mayo Clinic provides our local physician and clinical providers with world-class knowledge and support. We are excited to help bring this resource to northern Indiana and southwest Michigan.”

As a member of the network, Beacon will work with Mayo to share medical knowledge in ways that will enhance patient care. Network products and services include:

• eConsults that enable Beacon physicians to connect electronically with Mayo specialists when they want additional input on a patient’s care
• AskMayoExpert database that offers medical professionals point-of-care, Mayo-vetted information on disease management, care guidelines, treatment recommendations and reference materials for medical conditions
• Health care consulting that enables Beacon to learn more about Mayo’s clinical, operational and business models, including their design and implementation
• eTumor Board conferences that enable Beacon physicians to present and discuss management of complex cancer cases with a multidisciplinary panel of Mayo specialists and other network members

Beacon providers also have access to Mayo’s extensive library of patient education materials, and can view archived Mayo Clinic grand rounds presentations that feature Mayo physicians and scientists.

“We are pleased to welcome Beacon Health to the Mayo Clinic Care Network,” says Mark Larson M.D., medical director, Midwest region, Mayo Clinic Care Network. “As we’ve learned more about each other over the past year, it is clear that patient-centered care is at the heart of our collaboration. We look forward to working toward our shared goal of improving the delivery of health care for patients.”

Beacon Health was formed in 2011 when Memorial Hospital of South Bend affiliated with Elkhart General Hospital. Beacon Health is the largest locally owned and operated health care system in north central Indiana, with nearly 1,000 physicians and more than 7,000 team members and volunteers.

Beacon and other members of the Mayo Clinic Care Network remain independent, but share Mayo’s commitment to improve the quality and delivery of health care. Launched in 2011, the Mayo Clinic Care Network has more than 35 member organizations in the U.S., Mexico, Puerto Rico and Singapore.

About Beacon Health System

Beacon Health System, based in South Bend, Indiana, is the nonprofit parent organization of Elkhart General Hospital and Memorial Hospital of South Bend. Services also include outpatient care, primary physician care, urgent care, home care and community outreach. Beacon Health is also a research and education organization, guiding clinical research trials and helping to train medical residents in family medicine and hospital pharmacy. For more information, visit: https://beaconhealthsystem.org/.

About Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to clinical practice, education and research, providing expert, whole-person care to everyone who needs healing. For more information, visit http://www.mayoclinic.org/about-mayo-clinic or http://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Heidi Prescott, Beacon Health System Media Relations, 574.647.3001, hprescott@beaconhealthsystem.org

Rhoda Madson, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507.284.5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu