A new partnership aims to fill gaps in community health care service in the greater Rochester area. St. John's and the University of Rochester Medical Center are teaming up to share resources, networks and expertise.

The collaboration will utilize the strengths of both organizations to address issues such as regional hospitals that routinely operate above licensed bed capacity because of a shortage of available long-term care beds and community services gaps that impact health care delivery.

As part of the agreement, URMC will invest in St. John's to help open more skilled care beds and expand service in high-needs areas like a new chronic dialysis unit and pediatric skilled care.

"The inability of nursing homes to fully staff their beds stresses our region’s ability to meet community demand for inpatient care,” said Steve Goldstein, president and CEO for Strong and Highland hospitals, and senior vice president for URMC. “Extending our collaboration with St. John’s Home is one more way we are working to help patients receive high-quality treatment in the most appropriate care setting.”

Goldstein says the Finger Lakes region has fewer hospital beds per capita than any other part of New York.