By Kellie Houx
KHoux@cherryroad.com

NORTH KANSAS CITY — After a year in the making, North Kansas City Hospital has joined the Mayo Clinic Care Network as of Tuesday, April 15.

The worldwide network is comprised of 45 independent health care organizations.

“Joining the Mayo Clinic Care Network is a historic accomplishment that will enhance our capabilities and help us continue our goal of delivering the highest level of care to our community,” said Stephen Reintjes Sr., MD, president and CEO of North Kansas City Hospital. “The entirety of this relationship is about collaboration.”

Providers from NKCH will be able to blend their understanding of patients’ medical needs with Mayo Clinic expertise whenever it enhances care.

“Becoming a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network is the beginning of a new era for our health system,” said Steven Starr, MD, chief medical officer of NKCH. “The opportunity to have access to Mayo Clinic’s knowledge and to provide that knowledge to our patients locally, at no additional cost, is incredible. It’s an obligation to sustain our mission to provide extraordinary care every day.”

Dr. Mark Larson, Mayo Clinic Care Network medical director, explained that the hospital went through a stringent review process “to demonstrate their commitment to providing high-quality and evidence-based care.”

He also spoke about the founders Dr. W.W. Mayo and his son Dr. Will Mayo. Son Charles Mayo also become a doctor.

“The needs of the patient come first,” Larson said. “In 1911, Will Mayo was delivering a commencement address and spoke about the complexity of medical care at that time. He said medical care is increasingly complex … we need to collaborate, to find a union of forces,” he said. “This is a union of forces to better patient care. We will bring the latest research and treatment ideas. There will be no added cost to patient.”

Dr. Kent Barr, chairman of the board of trustees at North Kansas City Hospital, said this relationship is about providing additional solutions and services that can amplify care to make a difference in the Northland and beyond.

“This will keep us at the forefront of health care,” he said.

The collaboration is not an acquisition or merger.

After Larson and Reintjes signed the official agreement, Reintjes spoke about this as elevating the care delivered.

“The benefits are two-fold,” he said. “There is the clinical aspect to provide the most advanced treatments, but also efficiencies in how hospitals run. We will look at their best practices.”

Members of the Mayo Clinic Care Network have access to a variety of services such as AskMayoExpert, an online medical tool with clinical information on a variety of conditions, eBoards that enable medical teams to discuss complex cases in video conferences with a panel of specialists and eConsults that allow physicians to connect with Mayo Clinic specialists on patient cases.