Patients of OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center in the greater Riverbend community have access to a comprehensive network of pediatric providers through a recently-announced strategic affiliation with SSM Health, a Catholic health care system based in the St. Louis area.
This collaboration will better serve patients in the community by bringing exceptional medical and surgical specialties closer to home. The affiliation combines a commitment to exceptional care and an expanded, comprehensive network of expert specialty and subspecialty physicians for patients in the area.
The latest collaboration will see Ameera Nauman, MD, a pediatrician at OSF Saint Anthony’s, move into the SSM Health network while continuing to see patients at the OSF Medical Group office in Godfrey. The Godfrey office offers primary care for adults as well as pediatric care. Dr. Nauman will have access to SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, a world-class facility in St. Louis, for emergency and specialty care, such as advanced pediatric diagnostic testing, surgical services and sports care.
“I’m excited to be part of this collaboration that will allow my patients greater access to timely and exceptional care from pediatric specialists who are at the top of their field,” said Dr. Nauman. “Parents can know all of their child’s medical needs are in the hands of well-equipped, premier health professionals.”
“Hospital and health care providers can no longer operate in silos and must be willing to embrace meaningful collaboration that will result in availability of high quality, sustainable health care across their communities,” said Jerry Rumph, president of OSF Saint Anthony’s. “Dr. Nauman will be supported by pediatric specialists in areas including cardiology, oncology, neurology and gastroenterology. This team will have access to the NICU [Neonatal Intensive Care Unit] and a Level I [One] Pediatric Trauma Center at Cardinal Glennon Hospital, where providers are equipped to handle the most complicated and complex cases.”
Jeremy Fotheringham, region president of SSM Health St. Louis and Academics, said, “This collaboration will allow us to better meet the needs of this community while providing value and convenience to our patients. By working together, we further our Mission and Vision to ensure all people have access to the high-quality, personalized care they need.”
OSF Saint Anthony’s and SSM Health are excited about the new affiliation and are currently developing additional opportunities to bring more medical specialties to the greater Riverbend community to enhance and improve the health and wellness of residents. In April, the health systems announced enhanced heart care close to home through the addition of Sridhar Kumar, MD, a cardiologist at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital, who became chief of Cardiology Services at OSF Saint Anthony’s.