Virginia Mason Franciscan Health and Confluence Health Partner to Expand Access to Specialty Medications

VMFH Launches Madrona Health, a new specialty pharmacy, with Confluence Health

SEATTLE and TACOMA, Wash., Aug. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health (VMFH) and Confluence Health announced the creation of Madrona Health, LLC, a new joint venture to expand specialty pharmacy services across the Pacific Northwest. This unique partnership will increase access to vital specialty medicines for patients with rare or complex conditions in areas that are typically underserved. 

"Virginia Mason Franciscan Health is excited to partner with Confluence Health on this important initiative and I am grateful to the dedicated team who helped make it a reality, especially Dr. Peter Rutherford," said Ketul J. Patel, CEO of Virginia Mason Franciscan Health. 

Madrona Health, previously known as VMFH Georgetown Specialty Pharmacy, currently serves 11 hospitals, several cancer centers, and hundreds of clinic sites across the country. Partnering with Confluence Health, Madrona Health will expand its services to North Central Washington, including Confluence Health's two hospitals and other care sites. VMFH and Confluence Health will own and operate the entity as a 50-50 joint venture serving their combined communities. Madrona Health will be licensed in Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, and Arizona, and will supply vital medicine to patients throughout the West, whether at home or during seasonal travel through a mail-order service. Madrona Health's service strives to reduce the burden on both patients and providers in obtaining specialty medications. 

"Through innovative and strategic partnerships, VMFH continues to expand access to care throughout the Pacific Northwest. Working together with Confluence Health, Madrona Health will increase access to essential specialty medication for the patients who need it most, while bringing two dynamic organizations together in collaboration around the needs of our patients," added Patel. 

"Madrona Health is built on the mutual respect and shared values of our two organizations. It is crucial that our patients in North Central Washington have access to life-saving medications, and we look forward to working with Virginia Mason Franciscan Health to ensure our patients receive the most advanced level of care and support," commented Dr. Andrew Jones, CEO of Confluence Health.  

Specialty pharmacies offer an advanced level of support needed to provide patients with a broader range of services than traditional pharmacies, dispensing medications that treat complex or rare conditions such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, and other chronic conditions. These drugs require intensive clinical monitoring and are often high cost. 

To facilitate the complex monitoring requirements, Madrona Health will work in tandem with health care providers, such as Confluence Health, to access patients' existing medical records to ensure a seamless experience. The Madrona Health model is designed to work closely with patients to manage their medication supply with refill reminders, help navigating insurance coverage, clinical support, and other tools for success.  

Virginia Mason Franciscan Health (VMFH) works to expand access to care and improve the health of communities by building on the strength of more than 300 sites of care, eleven top-tier hospitals, 18,000 team members, and over 5,600 physicians and advance practice providers. VMFH delivers world-class clinical excellence from basic health needs to the most complex, highly specialized care. By bringing together the best and brightest healthcare minds in the region along with a commitment to investing in innovation, VMFH delivers the most advanced therapies and technologies for patients alongside some of the country's most prestigious experts and hospitals. VMFH is home to the Bailey-Boushay House, the first skilled-nursing and outpatient chronic care management program in the United States designed specifically to meet the needs of people with HIV/AIDS, and the Benaroya Research Institute, an internationally recognized center for autoimmune disease research. Additionally, VMFH is committed to addressing health care disparities by caring for the most vulnerable in the community, including the poor and underserved, by providing more than $300 million in community benefits, subsidies, or reduced-cost healthcare and programs. Learn more at www.vmfh.org.

Confluence Health serves the largest geographic region of any healthcare system in Washington State, covering over 12,000 square miles of Okanogan, Grant, Douglas, and Chelan counties. Confluence Health is one of only two locally-lead healthcare systems in the state with the purpose of maintaining availability and access to high-quality, cost-effective healthcare services for North Central Washington. The Confluence Health Board of Directors provides governance for Confluence Health, the Clinic, Central Washington Hospital, and Wenatchee Valley Hospital, and includes nine community board members and six physician board members.

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SOURCE Virginia Mason Franciscan Health