Baptist Health inks strategic alliance with BluMine Health to support employer-sponsored health wellness programs
Baptist Health inks strategic alliance with BluMine Health to support employer-sponsored health, wellness programs
Baptist Health inks strategic alliance with BluMine Health to support employer-sponsored health, wellness programs
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY: March 19, 2019 -- Baptist Health has entered into a strategic alliance with BluMine Health, LLC, a joint venture between Alternative Health Solutions, LLC, of Louisville and HealthWorks Medical, LLC, of Paducah, to support employer-sponsored health and wellness initiatives with services such as hospital care and diagnostics.
BluMine Health provides Direct Primary Care (DPC) model healthcare to employees and dependents of mid- to large-size employers. Baptist Health is the leading healthcare provider in Kentucky and Southern Indiana.
DPC services are provided by physicians and practitioners in an onsite, near site or shared site clinic space. Employees and their dependents are able to access the clinics at no cost for services ranging from acute/urgent care, primary care, physical examinations and management of chronic health conditions such as diabetes. With the strategic alliance with Baptist Health, BluMine patients can be offered additional services, such as specialty care, hospital care, diagnostics and physical therapy.
“Baptist Health’s philosophy of ‘treat-you-like-family’ care fits hand-in-glove with BluMine Health’s emphasis on white glove treatment for its patients,” said Jody Prather, MD, Baptist Health’s chief strategy officer. “Our association with BluMine Health provides an integrated care strategy focused on achieving the best health outcomes for patients.”
“The alliance with Baptist Health expands our capabilities to further assist our patients when they need services that BluMine Health does not offer,” said BluMine Health CEO Michael Dees. “This will give patients rich access to a wide range of high-quality specialized providers and services from a recognized healthcare leader in Baptist Health.”
“BluMine’s model was always designed to bring the employer market closer and alongside major healthcare systems. Baptist Health’s executive management team welcomed our approach with a very collaborative mindset,” Dees added.
“This gives Baptist Health an opportunity to be integrated with employers, enhancing our opportunities to work together on future projects and initiatives to improve patient care and quality while lowering healthcare costs for our employer partners and their employees who choose Baptist Health for their care,” Dr. Prather said.
Employer benefits
Under BluMine Health’s DPC model, employers pay a set amount per employee per month for services provided in the clinic care centers.
The benefit for employers is improved employee morale and productivity with decreased overall healthcare spend. Employees and their family members benefit from easy access to care, improved patient satisfaction and a streamlined referral process.
Baptist Health has a dedicated team within its call center focused on streamlining the referral process for BluMine Health patients.
BluMine Health has partnered with Springbuk® an Indianapolis-based health technology company, to provide customized streamlined reporting, targeted engagement and real-dollar insights for employers.
“Springbuk’s 360-degree view of employees and dependents empowers employers to make population health decisions with ease and confidence, in real-time,” Dees said.
About AHS & HealthWorks Medical
Alternative Health Solutions (AHS) recently formed the joint venture with Paducah, Kentucky-based HealthWorks Medical LLC to form BluMine Health.
HealthWorks Medical, founded by J. Kyle Turnbo, MD, in 2007, provides a similar DPC healthcare model, coupled with wellness, occupational and safety services for employers in clinics in the Kentucky cities of Paducah and Murray, plus Union City, Tennessee, and New Orleans, Louisiana.
AHS, founded in 2014 by Dees with support from seven “angel investors,” has five clinics in Kentucky and Indiana. One of those clinics is moving this month to 5129 Dixie Highway, offices recently occupied by a Baptist Health Medical Group practice. The Lexington clinic is in a shared space with Baptist Health Urgent Care at 2108 Nicholasville Road. Other Kentucky clinics are in Shelbyville and Somerset with a new on-site clinic location opening April 1 in Liberty, Kentucky.
“We are excited to have the opportunity to partner with AHS and Baptist Health to expand this direct-to-employer healthcare solution. Our experience has shown this model to eliminate barriers to care and provide significant cost reductions to employers,” said Dr. Turnbo, HealthWorks CEO.
Together, the companies serve 38 employers and some 14,000 employees.