Rosecrance, SwedishAmerican form mental health partnership

Rosecrance Health Network and SwedishAmerican Health System have announced a new partnership to improve the continuum of mental  health care services in northern Illinois. The partnership involves improvements in the delivery of both inpatient psychiatric care and outpatient behavioral health services.

Under an agreement approved by both organizations’ boards of directors, Rosecrance will manage SwedishAmerican Hospital’s mental health unit. In this new model, SwedishAmerican continues its long-standing focus on inpatient psychiatric services. Nurses providing direct patient care will continue to be employed by the hospital, while the unit’s psychiatrists and therapists will become Rosecrance employees. Management of the unit will be provided by a director who is employed by Rosecrance, but reports to SwedishAmerican’s vice president of nursing.

In addition, Rosecrance has purchased SwedishAmerican’s outpatient behavioral health clinic, now located in Camelot Tower. On March 1, the clinic will close and its services will be integrated with existing Rosecrance operations through its affiliate, Aspen Counseling & Consulting.

Outpatient appointments will continue seamlessly; no interruption of service is expected. To accommodate the growth at Aspen, Rosecrance will announce a new location for outpatient services in the near future.

Patients will benefit from the SwedishAmerican-Rosecrance partnership through an expanded and more specialized base of providers, more comprehensive coverage for SwedishAmerican Hospital’s Emergency Department, additional case management alternatives and a tiered system that provides stronger alignment between mental health service options and patients’ specific needs.

“Our partnership with Rosecrance will help us to more effectively bridge gaps in the current mental health care system, and ensure that patients receive the best possible care in the most appropriate setting, and in a timely fashion,” said SwedishAmerican President and CEO Dr. Bill Gorski. “This is an excellent example of how two respected organizations are coming together to advance the continuity of mental health care in northern Illinois with creative solutions.”

Rosecrance President and CEO Philip W. Eaton said the organization’s Board of Directors believes the partnership with SwedishAmerican  will benefit the community and improve access to care by creating a more user-friendly system.

“The goal is to connect the dots between the acute care system and community-based services, creating a seamless transition between levels of care within the same network,” Eaton said. “Every step of the way patients will be interacting with a unified team of clinical professionals who coordinate care under the same management system.”

SwedishAmerican is a not-for-profit, locally governed healthcare system, headquartered in Rockford, Illinois. The health system is comprised of two hospitals, 30 clinics, a home health care agency, and a foundation. Rosecrance, a private not-for-profit headquartered in Rockford, is one of the most comprehensive behavioral health networks in the state of Illinois. Rosecrance provides substance abuse and mental health treatment to more than 14,000 children, adolescents, adults and families each year. Rosecrance has facilities in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin, along with six offices in Chicagoland.

Remarks from Philip W. Eaton, President and CEO of Rosecrance Health Network, made at the Jan. 30 announcement at SwedishAmerican Hospital in Rockford:

I am delighted to be here today for this announcement, which I sincerely believe is a significant step forward for our community in terms of mental health services.

The Rosecrance Health Network Board of Directors is excited to enter into this partnership with SwedishAmerican Health System. We believe it will improve access to care and create a more user-friendly system for patients.

Dr. Bill Gorski and I, along with our respective administrative teams, have spent many hours talking about the goals and details of this partnership. At every step of the way, the focus stayed on improving the continuity of care to people who come to us with behavioral health needs. We believe this agreement does just that. This partnership allows Rosecrance and SwedishAmerican to continue working side by side, even as each of us focuses on our strengths.

The goal is to connect the dots between the acute care system and community-based services, creating a seamless transition between levels of care within the same network.

As for the big picture, health care is changing in the United States — both in how it will be delivered and in how we engage patients. Rosecrance is working with primary healthcare providers to address behavioral health needs among patients. We already are delivering this kind of integrated care at several locations through a partnership with Crusader Community Health. And we are exploring possibilities with other healthcare providers for how integration and collaboration may improve overall patient care.

We are thrilled to move forward with SwedishAmerican through this partnership to integrate behavioral health and primary health services, improve access for patients and provide a better continuum of care.

Thank you.