Froedtert Hospital Launches Affiliation with Cleveland Clinic, Nation’s No. 1 Heart Hospital

Milwaukee, Wis. – Marking a first for the state, Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Froedtert Hospital and Ohio-based Cleveland Clinic will join forces in an affiliation that leverages the academic, clinical and research components of both organizations. This affiliation enables both organizations to share best practices related to patient care and hospital processes.

“We are pleased and proud to be selected as an affiliate member of the Cleveland Clinic Heart & Vascular Institute,” said Cathy Buck, president of Froedtert Hospital. “By aligning our academic medical center with a world-renowned peer organization, we can bring the very best in cardiovascular care to our patients.”

As affiliates, the two organizations will remain independent but share best practices in patient care, outcomes measurement, quality reporting and clinical research. In addition, physician teams from both entities will collaborate to accelerate advances in heart care treatments and protocols.

“We have a strong cardiovascular program, and this relationship will help us take it to the next level,” said Michael Cinquegrani, M.D., director, Froedtert & MCW heart and vascular services. “The best get better by collaborating and learning from each other. Joining our Medical College Physicians group with a proven national performer will accelerate our progress toward having a world-class heart program here in Milwaukee to benefit people throughout the region.” Froedtert Hospital is the only hospital in Wisconsin and the upper Midwest to join the Cleveland Clinic Heart & Vascular Institute as an affiliate member Cleveland Clinic’s heart program has been ranked No.1 by U.S. News & World Report for 21 years.

“As new techniques and technologies come to the forefront it’s important to deliver these new innovations quickly to patients to treat cardiovascular disease,” said Joseph Cacchione, M.D., cardiologist and chairman of Operations and Strategy at Cleveland Clinic’s Heart & Vascular Institute. “Patients in Wisconsin will benefit from the power of collaboration between our hospitals.”

The affiliation agreement reflects Cleveland Clinic’s comprehensive assessment of currently available cardiovascular services in southeastern Wisconsin. The study, which began more than a year ago, included a review of Froedtert & MCW’s heart program, covering personnel, policies, procedures, outcomes and facilities.

Benefits of the affiliation to Froedtert & MCW health network patients and doctors include access to new treatments and technologies, opportunities to collaborate with Cleveland Clinic in medical research, sharing of care pathways, quality processes, outcomes data analysis and medical education opportunities.

“Collaboration and partnership is one of Froedtert Health’s founding principles, and this relationship with Cleveland Clinic further demonstrates the value of that philosophy,” said Buck. “The way forward in health care is through alliances that enable sharing of resources, knowledge and skills.”

The affiliation follows the October 2015 opening of the Froedtert & MCW Center for Advanced Care, the new home of the Froedtert & MCW heart and vascular program. The program, which experienced a 170 percent increase in outpatient volume over the past 10 years, occupies the entire fourth floor of the new building and provides outpatient care for cardiology, electrophysiology, cardiac surgery, interventional radiology and vascular surgery and diagnostic services.