Affiliation Brings Advanced Specialty Care to greater Brockton
December 8, 2009 - Brockton, MA – Signature Healthcare announced today a clinical affiliation with Tufts Medical Center and its Floating Hospital for Children. Beginning in early 2010, Tufts Medical Center’s unique service delivery model will offer Signature Healthcare patients direct access to additional specialty and advanced care locally, close to their communities across Southeastern Massachusetts.
“This is an important and positive decision by both organizations,” said Eugene C. Wallace, interim CEO of Signature Healthcare, in announcing the collaboration. “Our formalized affiliation with Tufts Medical Center gives our patients a direct and simple pathway to specialty care and further establishes us as a key regional provider of health services.”
The Signature-Tufts Medical Center partnership builds on a 30-year history. Residents from the Medical Center have been part of a one-year transitional year residency program at Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital since the 1970’s. The clinical affiliation announced today is intended is to enhance and expand existing relationships in the treatment of pediatrics, cardiovascular disease, orthopedics, surgical services and women’s health, including obstetrics and gynecology, while also building new partnerships in areas like bariatrics, neurology and cancer care.
“Health reform efforts in Massachusetts and nationally are increasingly focused on finding ways to provide patients with the right care in the right setting, and delivering that care as efficiently as possible. Building partnerships among providers leads to better coordination of care for patients and better quality of care,” said Ellen Zane, President and CEO of Tufts Medical Center. “We look forward to working with the physicians and staff of Signature Healthcare to care for the patients of Southeastern Massachusetts.”
Quality and accountability are key areas of focus in the current health reform debate in Massachusetts and in Washington, DC. Signature Healthcare’s direct clinical affiliation with Tufts Medical Center is in keeping with that initiative. Patients benefit from care coordinated through closely-aligned providers who jointly strive for continuous quality and safety improvement.
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About Signature Healthcare
Signature Healthcare (www.signature-healthcare.org) is a new model of patient care delivery for Southeastern Massachusetts. The organization includes the award-winning Brockton Hospital as well as Signature Medical Group - 150 physicians and other direct care providers - and a total of 2,500 associates operating from locations in Abington, Bridgewater, Brockton, Randolph, Raynham, Stoughton and West Bridgewater. In 2008, Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital received the Premier Award for Quality, ranking it in the top 1% of all acute care hospitals in the country. Signature Healthcare is setting the pace for quality, patient-centered healthcare delivery in the region, combining clinical expertise and state-of-the-art equipment and systems with the convenience of 7 community locations.
About Tufts Medical Center
Tufts Medical Center is an exceptional, not-for-profit, 415-bed academic medical center that is home to both a full-service hospital for adults and Floating Hospital for Children. Conveniently located in downtown Boston, the Medical Center is the principal teaching hospital for Tufts University School of Medicine. Floating Hospital for Children offers a comprehensive range of services from prevention and primary care to the most sophisticated treatment of rare and unusual conditions. The hospital’s focus and mission every day is to improve the lives of children and their families.
For Signature Healthcare: Rachel Labas
(508) 941-7657
rlabas@signature-healthcare.org
For Tufts Medical Center: Julie Jette
(617) 636-3265
jjette@tuftsmedicalcenter.org