Independence and Partnership, Powered by Duke

Duke Health helps practices and community providers strengthen performance, expand access, and connect patients to an academic health system without forcing a single path to affiliation.

Rising costs, staffing strain, reimbursement pressure, technology investment, and quality reporting requirements make independence harder to sustain. Duke can meet partners with flexible support: from a light-touch network connection to deeper operational integration.

Choosing a Partnership Path

Connect

Lightest touch

Clinically Integrated Network or Accountable Care Organization connection, payer strategy, quality reporting, and referral connectivity for practices that want to remain highly independent.

Align

Moderate partnership

Professional services agreement with core practice management, patient access, quality, and specialty connectivity services.

Integrate

Deep partnership

Joint venture structure with stronger operational enablement, digital access, care pathways, value-based support, and optional practice management.

Unite

Full integration

Acquisition or full integration path with the complete MSO service set and the deepest connection to Duke operations.
 

How Partners Benefit

For practices

Economic resilience, less administrative burden, digital tools, a clearer path to independence.

For clinicians

More time on patient care, specialty access, documentation support, research connectivity.

For Duke Health

Reach across North Carolina, stronger referrals, attributed lives, and value-based scale.