Northern Light Health and Optum Launch Strategic Relationship to Enhance the Health Care Experience

Collaboration between Northern Light Health and Optum will increase administrative efficiency and advance innovative technology to help serve the people of Maine more effectively
 

BREWER, Maine and EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (Jan. 5, 2023) – Northern Light Health and Optum today announced a strategic relationship to enhance the health care experience for patients and providers throughout Maine. As part of this relationship, select Northern Light Health employees will become part of Optum, providing them with new opportunities for growth and career advancement while they continue to support Northern Light Health.

Northern Light Health and Optum will work together to improve business processes through investment in leading-edge technology and innovation. This will enable Northern Light Health to access new tools and more resources that ultimately will enhance the patient experience and enable providers to focus on patient care.

“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.”

Together, Northern Light Health and Optum will:

• Improve the scheduling and billing experience for patients and providers.
• Advance digital capabilities to improve the patient and provider experience.
• Leverage new technology and tools to ensure patients are getting the right care, at the right time, and in the right place.
• Use data and analytics to anticipate and respond directly to patient, community and staff needs.

Optum will manage revenue cycle management, information systems, inpatient care management, analytics, project management office and supply chain for Northern Light Health.

“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, the parent company of Optum.

Approximately 1,400 Northern Light Health employees will become employees of Optum beginning in March 2023. These employees will continue to support Northern Light Health and become part of the Optum workforce of 220,000 people with a mission to help people live healthier lives and help make the health system work better for everyone.

As part of Optum, these team members will have access to more state-of-the-art tools, technologies, processes, skills development training opportunities and new opportunities for advancement. Both Northern Light Health and Optum are committed to ensuring a smooth transition for these team members and to building an exceptional experience for patients, providers and staff.

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About Northern Light Health

At Northern Light Health, we’re building a better approach to healthcare because we believe people deserve access to care that works for them. As an integrated health delivery system serving Maine, we’re raising the bar with no-nonsense solutions that are leading the way to a healthier future for our state. Our care team — in our hospitals, primary and specialty care practices, long-term and home healthcare, and ground and air medical transport and emergency care — are committed to making healthcare work for you: our patients, communities, and employees. To learn more about Northern Light Health and our locations across Maine, visit www.northernlighthealth.org.

Northern Light Health Media Contact:
Suzanne R. Spruce, APR
207-973-5758
sspruce@northernlight.org

About Optum

Optum is a leading information and technology-enabled health services business dedicated to helping make the health system work better for everyone. With more than 220,000 people worldwide, Optum delivers intelligent, integrated solutions that help to modernize the health system and improve overall population health. Optum is part of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH). For more information, visit www.Optum.com.

Optum Media Contact:
Brooke LaTour
218-310-4124
brooke.latour@optum.com