Parkview Health and Cincinnati Children’s finalize joint operating agreement to enhance pediatric care for families in northern Indiana

Key takeaways

1. Parkview Health and Cincinnati Children's are collaborating to increase access to world-class care for children in Fort Wayne and the broader region.
2. The joint operating agreement enhances Parkview's existing pediatric services with the support of Cincinnati Children's.
3. The initiative builds on more than 15 years of successful collaboration between the two health systems, including coordinated efforts to improve specialty care for kids.

Parkview Health and Cincinnati Children's have finalized a joint operating agreement to expand access to world-class pediatric healthcare for kids in Fort Wayne, Ind., and the surrounding region.

The new joint enterprise brings together the operations of Parkview's current pediatric hospital services, pediatric specialty services and pediatric primary care with the internationally recognized expertise of Cincinnati Children's. The jointly operated pediatric services will deliver emergency, inpatient and specialty care for kids, reducing patient transfers and related travel burdens for families.

Parkview's pediatric physicians and clinical teams will be supported by Cincinnati Children's, one of the world's most highly regarded pediatric health systems, enhancing Parkview's ability to manage more complex pediatric cases locally.

"Parkview Health and Cincinnati Children's believe this enhanced pediatric care will result in superior outcomes not only for families in our region, but also those across northern Indiana and northwest Ohio," said Dr. Tony GiaQuinta, physician leader for pediatrics at Parkview Health. "We share a deep commitment to making high-quality care readily accessible to families. And as we work together to shape a new future for pediatric care in the region, we will continue to build on our strong existing relationship."

Cincinnati Children's mission includes collaborating with healthcare organizations such as Parkview to advance pediatric medicine and improve outcomes for all kids, noted Evaline Alessandrini, MD, chief operating officer of the Ohio-based system. This new collaboration does not include any of Cincinnati Children's existing pediatric operations outside of Parkview's pediatric service line.

"Our enhanced collaboration will significantly expand on the high quality and convenience of pediatric services Parkview Health already makes available to families in the Fort Wayne region," Alessandrini said.

Pediatric care is currently provided at Parkview Health hospitals as well as at pediatric and specialty clinics throughout the Indiana-based system. Parkview Regional Medical Center (PRMC) is the region's leading provider of pediatric care, which includes a 27-bed inpatient unit, a seven-bed intensive care unit and a Level III neonatal intensive care unit. At Parkview Hospital Randallia, renovation is currently underway to expand the Family Birthing Center and construct a Level II Special Care Nursery.

Parkview also employs pediatric specialists who have long cared for children in Fort Wayne. The joint enterprise will provide these physicians with additional access to Cincinnati Children's subspecialty expertise, supporting and expanding the services already available to families.

"As a physician, I'm excited about what this means for the teams caring for children across Parkview every day," added Dr. Ray Dusman, president of physician and clinical enterprise, Parkview Health. "This collaboration gives our pediatricians, specialists and clinical teams greater access to Cincinnati Children's expertise and support, which helps us care for more kids locally, coordinate treatment more effectively and continue building the kind of pediatric care system families in our region deserve."

This enhanced collaboration will create new jobs, including clinical and support staff, with the number yet to be determined. Parkview currently employs more than 17,500 people, including more than 240 pediatric primary care or family medicine providers at over 45 locations, and approximately 40 pediatric specialists.

Cincinnati Children's has over 19,500 employees, including many of the world's leading pediatric surgeons, medical specialists, primary care doctors, nurses and scientists. The nation's leading pediatric health system has over 1.7 million patient encounters annually across its three hospital campuses and 50 other sites of care. Cincinnati Children's cares for local kids as well as patients from all 50 states and dozens of countries, including those with rare or complex disorders.

The joint enterprise builds on the systems' established telehealth collaboration. In some cases, physicians at Parkview already consult with Cincinnati Children's specialists and also collaborate via telemedicine to provide pediatric neurosurgery, rheumatology, and drug-resistant epilepsy clinics. The two health systems, which are about 180 miles apart, initially began working together in 2011 to enhance pediatric trauma services in the Fort Wayne region.

In addition to the newly formed joint enterprise, Cincinnati Children's has begun advisory work with Parkview in an effort to open a dedicated pediatric emergency department at Parkview Regional Medical Center in 2027.

About Cincinnati Children's
Cincinnati Children's is ranked among the best pediatric health systems in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, including No. 1 in three specialties: Cancer care, Gastroenterology & GI surgery, and Diabetes & Endocrinology. Established in 1883, Cincinnati Children's is a nonprofit academic health system that leads the way in healthcare education and pediatric research, where discoveries become innovative treatments and cures that change the outcome for children. All of this is backed by an extraordinary culture with 19,500 team members. Cincinnati Children's ranks No. 1 in Ohio and No. 5 in the nation on the Forbes list of America's Best Employers for Healthcare Professionals. More information: CincinnatiChildrens.org

About Parkview Health
Parkview Health is a nonprofit, community-focused health system serving Indiana and northwest Ohio with a mission to improve health and inspire well-being. Based in Fort Wayne, Parkview is northeast Indiana's largest employer with approximately 17,500 co-workers. Parkview Health includes 15 hospitals and an extensive network of primary care and specialty care physicians. The health system is making significant investments to expand access to care, including a new hospital in West Lafayette, expanded services in Grant County, and a growing presence in Hamilton County, Ind., including a partnership with Riverview Health. It has also announced plans for affiliations with Goshen Health in Elkhart County and Witham Health Services in Boone County.

In 2019, Parkview committed to addressing healthcare affordability. Since then, it has renegotiated contracts with major insurers, introduced a direct-to-employer health plan that can save employers up to 25% compared to commercial insurance, and has grown lower cost care options like ambulatory surgery centers, outpatient facilities and hybrid care models.

Parkview consistently earns multiple "A" Hospital Safety Grades from The Leapfrog Group, is ranked among Indiana's Best Hospitals by U.S. News & World Report, recognized by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, and named NRC Health's No. 1 overall system for Excellence in Patient Experience among medium-sized health systems.

Photo caption (credit Cincinnati Children's & Parkview Health): Cincinnati Children's, which has over 1.7 million patient encounters annually across its three hospital campuses and 50 other sites, cares for local kids as well as patients from all 50 states and dozens of countries. Parkview Health comprises 15 hospitals plus a network of primary care and specialty physicians.