BY CONSUELO MCABOY
After a couple of years of planning, the U of M and Mid Michigan health systems have announced a new clinical and business partnership.
This affiliation aims to improve the level of care provided to Mid Michigan residents.
U of M's partnership with Mid Michigan will be the first of its kind outside of Southeast Michigan.
It will bring U of M's name and physicians to Midland, Alma, Clare, Gladwin, Mt. Pleasant and other areas where Mid Michigan has facilities and clinics.
The partnership is expected to improve the patient referral process. So, if a patient needs to go to Ann Arbor for care, U of M will coordinate with Mid Michigan and expedite the patient's discharge.
Rick Reynolds is the CEO of Mid Michigan Health. He said the alliance will also help expand cancer services for the area.
"We think the new relationship as I said will allow us to bring more specialists up here, we will have faster and broader access to clinical trials so our patients will be able to access the latest in chemotherapy and other things to benefit."
Reynolds said the two institutions are currently working out agreements to finalize the partnership.
He said the health systems plan to close the deal within the next 90 to 120 days.