6 health care systems team up on cost/care project

HANOVER, N.H. (AP) — Six health care systems across the country are collaborating on a project aimed at improving health care quality while reducing costs.

The group announced its formation in New Hampshire on Wednesday. It will start by sharing data on knee replacements and other conditions and treatments for which costs have been increasing and there are wide variations in quality and outcomes. The goal is to quickly spread the word about best practices to other health care providers.

The group includes the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Denver Health, and Intermountain Health Care, The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.