Oak Street Health, a network of value-based primary care centers based in Medicare, and kidney management company Interwell Health have announced the launch of OakWell, a joint venture to offer primary care to end-stage kidney disease patients directly in the dialysis center. 

This approach aims to reduce hospitalizations, increase kidney transplantations and improve outcomes to lower the total cost of care. Patients who receive in-center dialysis treatment typically spend upwards of 12 hours per week in a dialysis center.

The plan is to start by partnering with dialysis centers in Chicago, Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth and begin offering care services in these areas in the third quarter of this year, said David Buchanan, Oak Street's chief clinical officer, in a statement.