Palomar Health, Sharp enter into agreement to jointly administer medical services

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Palomar Health and Sharp HealthCare announced a new partnership on Wednesday with the hopes of enhancing a variety of patient services across North County.

The collaboration between the two health care networkers was formalized amid a period of turmoil for Palomar Health between financial challenges wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, service reductions and a cybersecurity incident that has continued to frustrate patients.

According to Palomar Health spokespeople, the partnership hopes to fill in gaps in its existing services, such as specialized care and those for higher-acuity patients, while allowing Sharp to expand its primary care services in North County.

The collaboration would not impact Palomar Health’s status as a public health district — the largest of its kind in California — and is not considered an acquisition, the district’s spokespeople added.

“By working together and reimagining healthcare to make it even more accessible we will be able to address gaps in healthcare services, providing more comprehensive care options and ensuring that our patients receive the highest standard of care close to home,” Diane Hansen, Palomar Health President and CEO, said in a statement on the partnership.

The partnership, which was officially finalized on paper last week, has been in the works for months, Sharp HealthCare officials said. It is expected to be fully implemented within the next year.

While specific details about what it looks like for patients remain limited at this time, Sharp officials noted it would likely mirror the network’s existing partnership with the public Grossmont Healthcare District, which owns Sharp Grossmont Hospital.

John Cihomsky, vice president of public relations and communications at Sharp, explained the partnership would link services at both Palomar Health and Sharp, allowing patients to access medical care at both depending on their needs.

For Palomar Health patients, this could look like admittance in transplant, oncology and orthopedics programs that are not available in the district’s existing services. On the flip side, Sharp patients could be able to obtain primary care services through Palomar Health facilities.

“Sharp is most excited about our new collaboration,” Chris Howard, president and CEO of Sharp, said in a statement. “District hospitals like Palomar Health are vitally important to the communities they serve, and as we have proven through our longstanding partnership with Sharp Grossmont Hospital, we will work together to ensure this partnership is positioned to meet the health care needs of North County.”

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