ERIE, Pa. (AP) — Erie's Saint Vincent Health System is paying to affiliate with the Cleveland Clinic for heart patients.
The Erie Times-News (http://bit.ly/QDMdtX ) reports Tuesday that the announcement comes less than a week after Saint Vincent announced it was entering a strategic affiliation with insurer Highmark Inc., which is paying $65 million for that deal.
Saint Vincent is paying to align with Cleveland Clinic — though terms of that deal haven't been disclosed. Essentially, the affiliation will let Saint Vincent patients who need more extensive cardiovascular care get it at the renowned Ohio hospital.
Both deals are meant to help Saint Vincent better compete with UPMC Hamot, which has been affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center since February 2011.
Highmark, meanwhile, is trying to compete with UPMC Health Plan by partnering with hospital networks.
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Information from: Erie Times-News, http://www.goerie.com
