DCH Partners With Capstone, IN Compass For Hospitalist Services

TUSCALOOSA, AL — DCH Health System on Tuesday announced Capstone Health Services Foundation as its new hospitalist group, with a contract set to go into effect this fall at DCH locations in Northport and Tuscaloosa.

The University of Alabama's Capstone Health Services Foundation is an affiliate of University Medical Center and the current employer of University Hospitalist Group physicians and Georgia-based IN Compass Health — a physician staffing and management company.

The news comes after the health system announced in January that it would not renew the contract with Pinnacle Physician Group, sparking backlash from firm and some in the community with the longtime affiliation coming to an end.

DCH Health System said the contract with Capstone and IN Compass will be effective Oct. 1 at Northport Medical Center and Nov. 1 at DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa.

“Partnering with these two health care leaders to staff and manage both DCH Regional Medical Center and Northport Medical Center helps ensure quality, continuity and consistency of care, since the same providers, using the same care models, will be delivering care at both locations,” said Bryan Kindred, president and CEO of DCH Health System. “This is the right thing for our patients and the community."

According to DCH, IN Compass's role in the partnership will see the company provide operational oversight and expertise, along with being responsible for day-to-day operations and quality and care metrics of the hospitalist program.

What's more, DCH says IN Compass will work with Capstone in the recruitment, selection and hiring of physicians, with Capstone employing the physicians who will then work within the DCH hospitalist program.

In discussing the selection process, DCH said the two firms were selected after an evaluation process conducted by along with expertise from PYA — a consulting group that specializes in coordinating the RFP (Request for Proposal) process and evaluating the responses. Capstone suggested the partnership with IN Compass, in a proposal that DCH referred to as "innovative."

Dr. Richard Friend, dean of UA’s College of Community Health Sciences, said partnering with IN Compass will allow Capstone Health Services Foundation to collectively offer DCH local and national knowledge along with the best practices of a leading medical center and a leading hospitalist management company.

“We are pleased to expand our relationship with DCH and work together to elevate care for the citizens of West Alabama," he said.

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