A post in the New England Journal of Medicine’s Catalyst blog reports that the rise of “convenient care” in the hospital sector is driving a wave of partnerships, including joint ventures, nonexclusive arrangements and telehealth alliances.

The piece looks at such partnerships as:

• Non-exclusive agreements with the likes of  such nonhospital enterprises as CVS MinuteClinics, with their big customer bases and low financial risk.
• Joint ventures that may appeal to providers willing to make a capital investment in return for more ownership and equal representation on boards of directors.
• Leased-space arrangements in which  hospital systems operate convenient-care clinics themselves, but within a retail space.
• Telemedicine partnerships that might include healthcare providers paying a fee for provide services and technology in return for branding and referrals.