Organization of area physicians brings accountable care to Northern Michigan
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., May 13, 2014 - Northern Physicians Organization is working to change the
landscape of healthcare in Northern Michigan and the vision is simple: coordinated healthcare, led
by the patient and his/her primary care provider. Enter Northern Michigan Health Network, a new
Accountable Care Organization (ACO). Founded by Northern Physicians Organization, this physician-
led network is a new partnership of primary care physicians and specialists joining forces to share the
responsibility of improving lives in Northern Michigan through high-quality healthcare.
Under Northern Michigan Health Network’s coordinated care model, a patient’s healthcare providers
work closely together so that he/she receives the right care at the right time, while avoiding duplication
of services. These participating providers carry the responsibility of ensuring that their patient’s overall
health improves, while keeping overall healthcare costs down.
“We are looking at the entire care of patients in our area,” says Peter Sneed MD, President of Northern
Michigan Health Network. “Key stakeholders need to work together to ensure a healthy community:
patients need to understand their health and actively participate in their wellness. Businesses need
to encourage their employees to maintain good health. Hospitals need to efficiently and effectively
manage their patients’ acute care. And physicians need to manage and direct their patients in chronic
disease management and provide them with the knowledge on how to attain a healthy lifestyle.
This coordination of care will improve health, improve patient satisfaction and reduce the cost of
healthcare.”
Along with a focus of high-quality, coordinated health care, Northern Michigan Health Network is
dedicated to prioritizing patient-centered care. The network is not part of any health insurance
company, nor is it a health maintenance organization (HMO). Patients may choose to see any provider,
whether or not that specific provider participates in the network. The benefit to the patient in seeking
out participating providers is a cooperative model of care, which results in a focus on wellness,
preventing illness, managing chronic conditions and, ultimately, the patient and his/her physician being
in charge.
While the network is one of 360 recognized ACOs under the Affordable Care Act’s Medicare Shared
Savings Program, the participating physicians serve non-Medicare patients alike, closely coordinating
the care of all patients with the aim of reducing the rate of growth in overall healthcare spending and
improving the lives of Northern Michiganders.
Northern Michigan Health Network is a physician-led Accountable Care Organization (ACO) dedicated to
improving the health of Northern Michigan’s population, while improving those residents’ experience
of health care, reducing health care costs and supporting the area community of care givers. Northern
Michigan Health Network was created by Northern Physicians Organization -- a physician-led group
aligning doctors’ processes, communications, best practices and ideas -- to unify Northern Michigan’s
health care community. Northern Michigan Health Network can be reached at: 231-421-8505 or
www.NMHN.net (Spring 2014).