Northern Light Health inks strategic collaboration with Optum

Northern Light Health, an integrated delivery system in Maine, has entered into a strategic collaboration with UnitedHealth Group's Optum.

Through the partnership, Optum will take over the heath system's revenue cycle management, information systems, inpatient care management, analytics, project management and supply chain management, according to the announcement. About 1,400 Northern Light Health employees will make the jump to Optum while continuing to support the health system, the two partners said.

The goals of the collaboration include enabling a better billing and scheduling experience for both patients and providers, enhancing digital capabilities for a better experience and more effectively harnessing data analytics to anticipate patient and staff needs.

“We are privileged to partner with Northern Light Health and build on their success by helping to transform the health care experience for patients, providers and communities across Maine,” said Dan Schumacher, chief strategy and growth officer of UnitedHealth Group, in the release.

The two partners will work alongside one another to deploy investments and technology to improve overall business processes, and the employees that now work under Optum will have opportunity to advance within the massive company.

“Optum and Northern Light Health are both values driven and people and community focused,” said Timothy Dentry, president and CEO of Northern Light Health. “Optum brings innovation and expertise to a broad range of support services that will help us manage some operational functions so we can focus on what we do best—care for the people of Maine.”