Hospital associations join to create Health Alliance

The Missouri Hospital Association and the Kansas Hospital Association have announced plans to integrate key programs and services under a newly formed limited liability company called The Health Alliance of MidAmerica, according to a press release from MHA.

An affiliation between the two organizations was finalized at meetings of the associations' boards of trustees in December and January. The boards appointed an initial board of managers for the alliance in February, and it began full operations in March.

"Associations like our member hospitals will continue to be challenged in the future, as they are today, to provide better services without increasing costs," said Kansas Hospital Association Chairman Maynard Oliverius. "This is why the boards and executive leadership of MHA and KHA expressed significant interest in developing a strategic affiliation."

"By creating a corporate affiliation between two strong associations, the quality and cost-effectiveness of services and programs for the entire membership of both associations can be enhanced," said Ronald Ashworth, chairman of MHA, in the release.

"For example, MHA and KHA currently collaborate on educational and data initiatives, KHA has a highly successful group purchasing program, and MHA has a strong history of servicing a metropolitan constituency through its regional office in metropolitan St. Louis," Ashworth said. "These services can be expanded and enhanced to provide better value to membership."

"An affiliation between hospital-based organizations also has far-reaching opportunities as a structure for relationships with other state associations and health-related organizations," Oliverius said.

Each state association will continue to provide its membership with a full range of services.

The Health Alliance of MidAmerica will focus on policy and regulatory analysis, federal advocacy, data, research and educational services, group purchasing, business operations, legal services, communications and member relations, according to MHA.

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