Southcoast leaving NEQCA

NEW BEDFORD – Southcoast Health is ending its relationship with Tufts Medical Center’s New England Quality Care Alliance and creating its own physician health network, a spokesman for the organization said Tuesday.
Peter Cohenno, Southcoast Health spokesman, said in a statement that Southcoast Health “has grown significantly since originally joining NEQCA, and we now have the opportunity to continue on our journey and create a clinically integrated network for the South Coast communities.”
“While we still have some significant issues to resolve with NEQCA as our formal relationship comes to a close, we are excited for the future and the creation of the Southcoast Health Network,” he said.
The move affects approximately 425 physicians currently in the NEQCA physician contracting organization, Cohenno said.
Southcoast Health comprises St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford, Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River and Tobey Hospital in Wareham.
The announcement comes two weeks after the boards of Southcoast Health and Providence-based Care New England voted to terminate their agreement to affiliate the two not-for-profit health care systems.
Brooke Hynes, spokeswoman for Tufts Medical Center, said in an email that the NEQCA has worked with Southcoast for six years. She said that earlier this year, as Southcoast considered the alliance with Care New England, Southcoast “decided to become an independent physicians organization and not affiliate with any larger network.”
“We look forward to continuing our relationship until the end of this year and wish [Southcoast] much success in the future,” Hynes wrote.

According to the Boston Business Journal, the relationship allowed Southcoast doctors to send patients to Tufts Medical Center.

No posts to display