Southwest Health and Dean Clinic–Platteville have for many years worked closely together to deliver quality patient care.

After extensive discussions and a thorough evaluation, Southwest Health has agreed to purchase the clinic effective July 1.

All patients currently using Dean Clinic–Platteville will be able to continue seeing their providers of choice after the transition. The move will allow clinic doctors to expand local access to primary care because the hospital is able to accept a broader array of insurances. Davis Duehr Dean–Platteville, Dean Specialty Services, and Cardin’s Pharmacy will remain unchanged and will continue all operations as usual.

“In the new healthcare landscape, providers and hospitals are working more closely than ever to ensure excellent care and excellent service at the lowest possible costs,” said Southwest Health CEO Dan Rohrbach. “Transferring clinic ownership to Southwest Health will proactively position the hospital and our physicians to be successful and, more importantly, to continue our work in creating truly outstanding healthcare in our local communities.”

These local changes reflect national trends. According to the American Hospital Association, the number of physicians directly employed by hospitals increased 45 percent from 2000 to 2010. About half of all U.S. physicians are now employed by hospitals, and this trend is expected to continue as the U.S. healthcare system changes.

“We value the tremendous service Dean Clinic has delivered in our area, and we will continue to work with them to ensure our patients have access to specialists,” said Rohrbach. “At the same time, we know our patients benefit from Southwest Health partnering more closely with our local providers. It allows us to coordinate services, and that results in better care for patients because everyone is on the same team, focusing on our patients.”

Rohrbach said direct employment of providers also helps control costs. In addition to being able to better negotiate with insurance companies, closer partnerships allow hospitals and doctors to better coordinate care, to be more responsive to needs, and to better allocate resources.

The physicians and advanced practice providers at Dean Clinic–Platteville will all be offered contracts to become Southwest Health employees. Southwest Health also is in the process of assessing needs for non-provider staff and is looking to match its needs with the clinic’s current staff. The hospital is also currently expanding its Platteville facilities, adding 20,000 square feet of additional clinic space for specialist clinics, including a new Women’s Center and an Orthopedics Institute.

Rohrbach said area residents can look forward to more physicians, more services, more access to health care, and more jobs as Southwest Heath continues to expand and grow to meet community needs.

Southwest Health, whose main campus is at 1400 East Side Road in Platteville, also operates Epione Pavilion in Cuba City and Southwest Behavioral Services on North Elm Street in Platteville.

Dean sold its clinic in Lancaster to Grant Regional Health Center last year.