The initial “first-of-its-kind” collaboration that the Cleveland Clinic inked with MedStar Health was focused on developing and commercializing new technologies.
Now, the heart institute at the MedStar Washington Hospital Center is announcing another “first-of-its-kind” alliance with the Clinic — this one focused on clinical research.
Physicians at the Maryland-based health system, ranked 41st on last year’s U.S. News & World Report’s list of best hospitals for cardiology and heart surgery, will work with the Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute at Cleveland Clinic to share best practices in cardiology and cardiac surgery. The collaboration will help accelerate improvements in cardiac care and research, according to a statement from MedStar.
“Teamwork is the next phase in American healthcare,” said Cleveland Clinic CEO Delos “Toby” Cosgrove at a press conference today.
Are there more such clinical collaborations for the Clinic in the near future? It wouldn’t be surprising, as the Clinic has worked up several collaborations and affiliation deals over the past several years to expand its footprint outside of the state of Ohio. And, in the year and a half following the announcement of the initial MedStar-Cleveland Clinic Innovations partnership in 2011, the Clinic rolled out four similar agreements with hospitals, a university and an Irish startup company.
