MultiCare Connected Care has selected Dallas-based Sandlot Solutions to support clinical interoperability, care coordination, population health management and analytics, as well as reporting for its accountable care organization.

Sandlot will build a community-wide electronic information exchange platform, making it possible for both MultiCare-employed and select independent community providers to exchange data and also boost both care coordination and clinical integration.

MultiCare Connected Care is a commercial accountable care organization, or ACO, that MultiCare Health System formed in August 2014.

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MultiCare Connected Care's clinically integrated network, or CIN, of physicians and other care team providers will serve populations throughout the state of Washington, part of a comprehensive approach to healthcare reform focused on delivering patients better care while lowering overall cost of that care.

"We are excited to take this step forward...and augment our analytical capabilities to enhance the care of our communities," said Christopher Kodama, MD, president, MultiCare Connected Care, in a news release. "This partnership will empower our current providers and services that make up the MultiCare Connected Care Network to be connected in a way that enables better coordination and aligned efforts to improve the health of the populations we serve."

MultiCare's CIN is designed to provide patients with high quality care and encourages physicians to work together in reducing the cost of healthcare. The network operates as one, physician-led organization, composed of doctors, hospitals and other outpatient and community providers that share responsibility of affordable care delivery. MultiCare Connected Care will implement Sandlot Connect to support its comprehensive community-wide data gathering and exchange.

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"In today's healthcare environment, it's essential that all entities involved in a care network, such as an ACO, have the most comprehensive, up-to-date patient information available to improve care and reduce costs for the populations served," Sandlot CEO Joseph Casper said in a statement.

Sandlot Solutions will help MultiCare Connected build the technology foundation it needs to effectively participate in the new models of healthcare and position them for success, now and in the future, Casper added.