Cayuga Medical Center announces partnership with Family Health Network

John Rudd, President & CEO of Cayuga Health System, left, and Walter Priest, President & CEO of Family Health Network of Central New York (photo provided)

Editor's Note: The following is a press release from Cayuga Medical Center.

CORTLAND, N.Y. — Family Health Network of Central New York, Inc. and Cayuga Medical Center, along with their community boards of directors, announced today they are uniting to advance clinical care throughout the Region. Both organizations will continue to operate independently and engage in other projects with Regional Partners, but will collaborate on clinical services, regional planning, and community outreach.

The clinical collaboration will improve access and clinical continuity for Family Health Network patients seeking specialty services at Cayuga Medical Center for cardiac, neurology, neurosurgery, oncology, orthopedic services, and much more. In addition, Cayuga Medical Center will be able to work with Family Health Network to help patients without a primary care provider locate one for ongoing quality care with Family Health Network or other Providers depending on patient choice. This initiative will also assist both organizations in managing the health of the shared patients that are served throughout the region by collaborating on care, sharing patient information, and linking in wellness services to sustain good health, and control cost.

"As our mission states, Family Health Network promotes and improves the wellness of the Central New York community through quality, affordable healthcare at multiple, convenient, state of the art facilities, while supporting employees and maintaining long term viability. This collaboration with the Cayuga Health System moves us further in our continuous journey to engage regional partners in providing quality, comprehensive, and accessible health care throughout the region," said Walter Priest, President & CEO of Family Health Network of Central New York.

"The Cayuga Health System mission is focused on furthering the ability of its member health care organizations to honor their community based missions by providing high quality, patient centered care. We have a long history of collaborating with Family Health Network that spans many years. We share the same vision of providing high quality health care services to all segments of our community," said John Rudd, President & CEO of Cayuga Health System.

Cayuga Medical Center provides care throughout the region with clinical services in Auburn, Cortland, Ithaca, and Watkins Glen. It is clinically linked to the University of Rochester Medical Center for neurosciences, Rochester Regional Health System for cardiac, Roswell Park for cancer, and Mayo Medical Laboratories for lab. Family Health Network of Central New York was established in 1972 is a Level 3 Patient Centered Medical Home and provides health care services to the residents of Cortland and Cayuga Counties, as well as, the contiguous counties of Tompkins, Madison, Chenango, Broome, and Tioga.  Family Health Network is also a Corporate founding member of the Care Compass Network Performing Provider System and a founding member of the Upstate Community Health Collaborative. Both organizations are focused on the health and wellness of the communities they serve.