BROOKFIELD, MO — Pershing Health System is strengthening its ability to serve patients and the community while remaining proudly independent.

Pershing Health System is a founding member of the new Show-Me High Value Network, a collaboration of 23 independent Missouri hospitals working together to share resources, expertise and best practices while maintaining their independence and local governance.

The network grew from years of conversations among independent hospitals about the challenges they share and the opportunities that could come from working together. The idea was influenced in part by similar efforts among independent hospitals in Louisiana, where hospitals created a resource pool to gain some of the advantages that come with greater size and scale.

“It’s hard to be a little fish in a big pond,” Clubine said. “Pershing Health System does not have a larger hospital system backing us. We are an independent health system, and that independence is important to us. The Show-Me High Value Network gives us some of the advantages of being part of a larger system without giving up our independence.”

Independent rural hospitals often face many of the same challenges as larger health systems but without the scale and resources that come with being part of a larger organization. By joining together, Show-Me High Value Network members can approach certain opportunities collectively rather than individually.

At the center of the Show-Me High Value Network is a clinically integrated network, or CIN, representing approximately 1.8 million patients. Participating hospitals will collaborate on quality improvement, care coordination, data sharing and value-based care initiatives.

“When Pershing Health System approaches an insurer, vendor or other organization on our own, we represent one independent rural health system,” Clubine said. “Through the Show-Me High Value Network, we are part of a network representing approximately 1.8 million patients. That gives independent hospitals a stronger voice and creates opportunities that can be difficult to achieve individually.”

The network also creates opportunities for participating hospitals to share operational best practices and work together to control costs for equipment and contracted services. Importantly, individual hospitals can choose which of these collaborations they participate in based on what makes sense for their organization and community.

For PHS, that flexibility is an important part of the partnership. Joining the Show-Me High Value Network does not mean Pershing Health System is being sold, merging with another organization or becoming part of a larger health system. PHS remains independent and locally governed by its Board of Directors, with PHS leadership and the Board continuing to make decisions based on the needs of the patients and communities it serves.

While patients may not immediately see many of the changes taking place behind the scenes, the goal is to strengthen the resources that support the care they receive close to home.

Through the network, Pershing Health System will have opportunities to learn from other independent hospitals, share clinical knowledge and best practices, improve care coordination and use data and resources more effectively.

“Our patients already receive quality care from people who know and care about this community,” Clubine said. “This isn’t about changing who we are or how committed we are to providing excellent care. It’s about giving our providers and our health system additional resources, knowledge and support to continue strengthening the care we provide right here at home.”

Network initiatives are designed to help participating hospitals compare clinical performance and identify opportunities for continued improvement. Better care coordination can help identify and close gaps in care, while improved use of data can help providers more efficiently coordinate treatment for patients who receive care at multiple locations.

Collaboration also allows physicians, nurses and quality professionals from participating hospitals to share experiences and successful practices, giving local providers access to a larger network of health care professionals facing many of the same challenges.

On the operational side, hospitals will have opportunities to collaborate on purchasing equipment and contracted services and share strategies for improving efficiency. Working collectively can give smaller independent hospitals some of the advantages of scale traditionally associated with larger health systems.

“Being independent doesn’t mean we have to do everything alone,” Clubine said. “Working together gives us access to additional knowledge and resources while allowing the decisions that affect Pershing Health System and our patients to continue to be made locally. That’s an important combination for the future of rural health care.”

For Pershing Health System, participation in the Show-Me High Value Network is ultimately about strengthening the organization for the future while preserving what makes an independent rural health system valuable to its community.

PHS remains independent. Decisions remain local. And the focus remains on providing high-quality care close to home.

The Show-Me High Value Network is a collaboration of independent Missouri hospitals working together to strengthen local health care, improve quality and care coordination, support value-based care and preserve the ability of member hospitals to remain independent and responsive to the communities they serve. Learn more about the Show-Me High Value Network: https://www.showmehvn.org/