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Genesis HealthCare and the University of New Mexico Health System are partnering to improve care access  and reduce hospital readmissions among nursing facility residents, the university announced on Friday.

The initiative will create clinical programs in the Albuquerque area, where Genesis operates 10 facilities, and other parts of the state to address issues that can occur during the transition from hospital and long-term care facility. Specific “clinical pathways” will be designed for orthopedics, pulmonary care, cardiac care, neurology, recovery and behavioral health.

“After discharge from UNM Hospital, an acute care hospital, many of our patients are admitted to follow up healthcare facilities, like Genesis, for continued care,” said Michael Richards, MD, executive physician-in-chief of the UNM Health System. “With this partnership, we will be able to build new clinical programs and improve access to care.”

The partnership will emphasize clinical coordination and physician oversight during care transitions, as well as the national shift to value-based care, said Dave Almquist, executive vice president for Genesis.

The provider will provide beds for UNM Health System patients at its locations “24/7,” along with a customized, streamlined admissions process, officials said. The partnership will officially kick off with the opening of a 26-bed behavioral health unit at a Genesis facility in Albuquerque later this year.

Genesis is currently ranked as the largest nursing facility company in the United States, with more than 500 facilities across the country.