UVA, Novant Health to jointly create Northern Virginia regional health system

University of Virginia Health System and Novant Health are in discussions to create a Northern Virginia regional health system. The proposed agreement would include UVA Culpeper Hospital and all of Novant Health's Virginia facilities, including Novant Health Haymarket Medical Center, Novant Health Prince William Medical Center and Novant Health Cancer Center.

Representatives from UVA and Novant Health have signed a non-binding letter of intent and started discussions to create a joint operating company for UVA Culpeper Hospital and Novant Health's Virginia operations by June 30, 2015. The discussions will include how Novant Health and UVA can integrate or coordinate cancer care across Northern Virginia, increasing access to UVA's subspecialty cancer care throughout the regional health system.

"We believe a joint operating company will help ensure patients throughout Northern Virginia receive quality care at the right time and the right place, while also providing care in a more efficient manner. We also look forward to expanding the use of our Be Safe initiative – our real-time problem-solving process to improve patient safety – to enhance quality care throughout the region," said Richard P. Shannon, MD, UVA's executive vice president for health affairs. "Novant Health has a long track record of successfully managing community health systems, making them an ideal partner for this alliance."

"Through this new regional health system, patients will be able to connect with the expertise UVA provides as an academic medical center, including subspecialty care and potential breakthrough treatments through clinical trials, while benefitting from Novant Health's experience with increasing access to care when and where patients need it," said Carl S. Armato, president and CEO of Novant Health. "Novant Health has a strong presence in Northern Virginia and this proposed partnership only strengthens our ability to identify best practices, advance our population health strategy and lower healthcare costs."

Under the proposed arrangement, UVA and Novant Health intend for each of the hospitals in the regional health system to continue directly employing all existing staff.

Additional details about the partnership will be developed over the next few months and will include discussions with UVA and Novant Health's governing boards, physician partners, team members and communities. Final details are anticipated to be announced in July 2015.