Newswise — CLEVELAND -- University Hospitals (UH), one of the largest health systems in Northeast Ohio that cares for 1.3 million patients annually, offers the following statement in reaction to the announcement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to reform the Physician Self-Referral Law (the “Stark Law”) and the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute.

“At University Hospitals, we have aligned around a new narrative to keep people healthy at home,” explained Thomas F. Zenty III, Chief Executive Officer of University Hospitals. “To facilitate this objective, we are enhancing the way we deliver care across the continuum by aiming to provide the best health outcome and the best patient experience at the lowest annual cost. Modernizing rules that help foster this paradigm shift to a value-based care environment will help our industry better provide the high-value care patients deserve and providers desire.

In order to keep pace with our evolving industry, it’s important to continuously evaluate legislation and processes that could hinder providing the American people with the best possible care. We support HHS’ efforts to identify defects in value and create solutions that fuel innovation in patient care.” 

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 About University Hospitals / Cleveland, Ohio

Founded in 1866, University Hospitals serves the needs of patients through an integrated network of 18 hospitals, more than 50 health centers and outpatient facilities, and 200 physician offices in 16 counties throughout northern Ohio. The system’s flagship academic medical center, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, located in Cleveland’s University Circle, is affiliated with Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Advancing the Science of Health and the Art of Compassion is UH’s vision for benefitting its patients into the future, and the organization’s unwavering mission is To Heal. To Teach. To Discover.  Follow UH on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.  For more information, visit UHhospitals.org.