TriStar Health and NHC announce new alliance

National HealthCare Corporation (NYSE MKT: NHC)(NYSE MKT: NHC.PRA) and TriStar Health announce an alliance that aims to provide patients across Middle Tennessee with a continually higher level of care as they transition from hospitals to recovery.    

"Our new alliance with National HealthCare Corporation (NHC) affirms our commitment to providing patients with the highest quality of care possible," said Dr. Doug Ardoin, chief medical officer at TriStar Health. "We are excited about the possibility of better accommodating our patients once they leave our facilities to ensure their conditions continue to improve."

TriStar Health and NHC believe that enhancing the quality of care provided to patients and facilitating the transition of patients between care settings will reduce the number of discharged patients who are readmitted to hospitals, especially those readmitted within 30 days of discharge. The organizations will work together to devise new practices and protocols not only to streamline the discharge process but also to help post-acute facilities, like skilled nursing facilities and home healthcare workers more effectively manage and treat conditions. Both organizations will develop integrated intervention strategies that will span the transition of patients' care from acute to post-acute care and vice versa.

"NHC is very excited about creating this quality alliance with TriStar Health. It affords the opportunity for one of the region's leading healthcare providers to work more closely with the leading skilled nursing provider in the state to promote high quality, seamless care for our patients," states Dr. Steve Flatt, President of NHC.

NHC employees will educate TriStar staff on post-acute care eligibility requirements while TriStar will educate NHC caregivers on hospital discharge procedures. Both organizations will also work on identifying new ways to enhance post-acute care for patients. Clinical and quality measurements will be developed to assess the alliance's success, and patient choice will be honored in all cases.