Hudson Hospital will join with HealthPartners medical family

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HealthPartners and Hudson Hospital announced their intent to have Hudson Hospital join the HealthPartners family of care. At the agreement’s closing, expected in January, the hospital would become a member of HealthPartners system but will remain a separate entity. The Hudson Hsopital will retain its own governing and foundation boards with continued representation from the hospital’s medical staff and the community.

“Having served Hudson and surrounding communities since 1953, our board, leadership, medical staff and staff are strongly committed to continued care for our community — today and into the future,” said Marian Furlong, CEO of Hudson Hospital. “Our existing affiliation with HealthPartners, which has been in place for the past nine years, has been invaluable in providing local access to the highest quality physician specialists, expertise and other needed specialty health care services. This stronger alliance reinforces our shared commitment to keep the best health care services in Hudson and western Wisconsin.”

HealthPartners President and CEO Mary Brainerd said, “We are excited by the opportunity to sustain and strengthen Hudson Hospital’s decades-long tradition as an outstanding hospital and community asset. We are committed to increasing access to top specialists, technology and services in western Wisconsin and specifically in Hudson.”

In 1999, the Hudson Hospital community board of directors chose to affiliate with HealthPartners. Since that time, emergency care center visits have doubled in part because of a partnership with emergency medicine physicians at HealthPartners’ Regions Hospital in St. Paul. The hospital also has provided increased access to specialty physicians.

Hospital officials expect the new relationship to result in more local access to physician specialists such as surgeons, cardiologists, neurologists and others as well as increased access to full-service specialty services.

The new relationship will enable Hudson Hospital to implement HealthPartners’ electronic health record systems, regarded as one of the best and most widely accepted of its kind. Longer term, it also is expected to provide greater access to capital for potential expansion of hospital and medical office facilities.

“We recognize the value of carefully selected relationships to help deliver needed health care services with the best quality, value and customer experiences,” said Dr. William Gold, chair of the Hudson Hospital board of directors.

“We have been exploring various opportunities for the past three years to identify the best ways to expand local health care in parallel with the demographic growth in the western Wisconsin region. As we anticipate challenges brought by new technologies, increased specialization and overall change in the health care landscape, this new relationship is the right move for our hospital and our region.”

Dr. Gregory Young, Hudson Hospital chief of staff and president of the Hudson Physicians division, echoed the sentiments.

“We are looking forward to the future to continue building on the great community care we have in Hudson today,” said Young.

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