Optum Will Manage Key Functions Including Data & Analytics, Revenue
Cycle Management and Care Coordination
Relationship Will Strengthen BCH’s Ability to Maintain Its Independence
BOULDER, Colo. and EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (July 14, 2020) – Boulder Community Health (BCH) and Optum today announced a comprehensive
new relationship focused on advancing delivery of high-quality, convenient
and affordable health care to patients across Boulder County and surrounding
communities. Optum brings an extensive set of capabilities to this innovative
partnership to help BCH further advance its clinical and operational performance.
This new relationship strengthens BCH’s ability to maintain its independence.
Like all hospitals and health systems, BCH is facing increasing economic
pressures that require thoughtful solutions. This innovative approach
with Optum creates cost savings and efficiencies, while allowing BCH to
remain a strong, independent, community-based health system.
Optum will provide BCH with valuable services, resources and scale, including
managing a broad set of essential functions spanning data and analytics,
revenue cycle management and care coordination. BCH clinicians and leaders
retain all decision-making authority regarding patient care and strategic
planning to ensure the organization stays responsive to the evolving needs
of the people and communities it serves.
BCH and Optum will work together to:
- Improve health outcomes for patients by expanding use of data and analytics
to target medical interventions more accurately, as well as create analytics
platforms that bring together disparate clinical, financial and socio-economic
data to better inform doctors and their patients.
- Enhance Boulder Community Health’s clinical services by working together
to continue to improve care coordination, quality outcomes and efficiency.
- Reduce costs and drive revenue improvement through best practice management
of patient scheduling and billing services across both the hospital and
clinic settings.
- Accelerate the organization’s ability to identify, prioritize and
execute on key strategic initiatives through advanced analytics, best
practice research and enhanced project management.
“This innovative relationship with Optum flows directly from BCH’s
strategic vision of partnering to create and care for the healthiest community
in the nation,” said Dr. Robert Vissers, BCH president and CEO.
“Together, we will innovate to enhance and further personalize the
patient experience at BCH. Our physicians and nurses will be able to bring
more data-driven insights to the care of our patients using Optum’s
clinical technologies and advanced analytic tools. This really accelerates
our ability to build upon the transformational care we provide the community
while lowering our operating costs.”
“We have heard from our community, our physicians and our employees
that remaining independent is critical to keeping health care decision-making
local and in the best interest of the communities we serve,” said
Jeff Morgan, chair of the BCH Board of Directors. “Partnering with
Optum helps us overcome the significant financial challenges facing smaller
health systems and maintain innovative, patient-centric medical care in
our community.”
“Boulder Community Health is one of the most respected and innovative
community-based health systems in the country, and we are thrilled to
partner with them to support their mission, vision and values,”
said Robert Musslewhite, CEO of OptumInsight. “Together we will
work to accelerate clinical and operational performance, improve outcomes
and experiences for patients and providers, and lower costs. Community
hospitals are critical to the communities they serve and supporting them
in their ambition to remain independent helps ensure that care remains
continuous, integrated and affordable.”
As part of this comprehensive relationship, approximately 280 BCH employees
will become Optum employees. They will continue to directly support Boulder
Community Health’s work and mission as part of a dedicated BCH business
unit within Optum. With access to new skill-development opportunities,
technologies and processes at Optum, these team members will build on
their successful work in making BCH the health system of choice for people
in Boulder and the surrounding communities.
# # #
About Optum
Optum is a leading information and technology-enabled health services
business dedicated to helping make the health system work better for everyone.
With more than 165,000 people worldwide, Optum delivers intelligent, integrated
solutions that help to modernize the health system and improve overall
population health. Optum is part of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH). For
more information, visit
Optum.com.
About Boulder Community Health
Boulder Community Health is a non-profit, independent, integrated, regional
health system with facilities throughout Boulder County. Boulder Community
Health is known across Colorado for its clinical excellence in heart care,
neurosurgery, stroke care, orthopedics and cancer care. Our mission is
to provide our community with the highest value health care in an innovative,
patient-centric environment. Our vision: Partnering to create and care
for the healthiest community in the nation. For more information, visit
bch.org and connect with BCH on
Facebook,
Twitter,
Instagram and
LinkedIn.