Sanford Health

Sanford Health and Marshfield Clinic Health System have announced a nonbinding Memorandum of Understanding to combine their complementary assets and capabilities and create an integrated health system dedicated to advancing world-class care in the rural Midwest. Marshfield Clinic Health System is an integrated health system serving Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula. “We are excited to combine our common purpose to lead the way for the future, drive innovation and solve the most pressing challenges facing rural health care,” said Bill Gassen, president and CEO of Sanford Health. Read more: https://san.fo/45VfEU5

Sanford Health is excited to bring together some of the industry's most dynamic and influential voices for the 3rd Annual Summit on the Future of Rural Health Care! This year's event will take place on October 29 and will explore new strategies for transforming care delivery in rural America during a time of rapid disruption. "Sanford Health continues to annually assemble the best and brightest minds in our industry in one place because we believe real change comes from action – not just talking about it," said Bill Gassen, president and CEO of Sanford Health. "The future of rural health care holds tremendous promise – but it will require a new way of thinking, and the collective energy, commitment and collaboration of diverse leaders to accelerate innovation." Read more about the Summit at: https://bit.ly/4f6qoTu Learn more and register for the livestream at: https://bit.ly/4cDnFj2

Earlier this month, high schoolers were able to take part in Sanford Bemidji's inaugural Native Americans with Stethoscopes Camp. The students were exposed to several facets of health care throughout the morning, including how to suture wounds, how to deliver a baby, and more. "Our intent is to match kids who are interested in a career in medicine with some real-world examples of how medicine can be fun," said Daniel Hoody, MD, MSc, chief medical officer at Sanford Bemidji. Read more about the day-long event: https://bit.ly/4bHkCVI

Medical Building 1 (MB1), the newest five-story building on the Sanford USD Medical Center campus, recently celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon cutting! The top floor of the brand new building is home to the Sanford Center for Digestive Health, with a first-of-its kind GI fellowship program in the Dakotas. The building features over 400 patient and employee parking spaces. Jeffrey Murray, M.D., gastroenterologist at Sanford Health who will be overseeing the fellowship curriculum said, “This is a huge step in establishing Sanford Health as the destination for gastroenterology care as we become the premier rural health system in the country. If we can train future providers here, we have a possibility that they’ll stay in the area after their fellowship training, which will only benefit patients in the future.” Read more: https://bit.ly/3VXtFMg

"Sanford Health is honored to employ brave men and women who are currently serving or have served in the United States Armed Forces, and we want to thank them for choosing us to continue their careers," said Capt. Paul Weckman, MMA, head of military and veteran affairs at Sanford Health. "The sacrifices they have made while serving make it possible for us to deliver world-class care to our patients in communities across the Midwest." Military Friendly®Brands has ranked Sanford Health No. 1 in the category of Government & Non-Profit employers on its annual list of organizations that set the standard for providing the best opportunities for veterans and military spouses. Sanford offers several programs for military and veteran employees, including continuation of benefits and differential pay for service members during their deployment. In 2023, Sanford Health expanded its support to active-duty members and their spouses by partnering with the Department of Defense Skill Bridge Program and the Military Spouses Employment Program. Read more: https://bit.ly/3VZpJuv

Today, I am excited to share that Sanford Health and Marshfield Clinic Health System signed a nonbinding Memorandum of Understanding to combine the complementary capabilities of our two non-profit organizations for the benefit of our patients, our people and our communities.   Our organizations share a rich history of delivering exceptional rural health care. We look forward to furthering excellence in quality, safety and patient experience, solidifying our permanence in the communities we call home and following through on our promise to deliver world-class health care to every patient we serve, no matter their zip code. Through our partnership, we will:   Use our respective fully integrated health plans to improve patient outcomes through broader population health initiatives, value-based care programs and new, innovative care delivery models.    Combine our two strong physician organizations to enhance our ability to accelerate clinical innovation for the benefit of our patients and communities.    Expand the breadth and depth of research capabilities, including increasing access to nearly 1,000 active clinical trials and clinical studies and combining medical research to bring new treatments and cures to patients.    We are excited about the many opportunities our combination will have for our patients, our people and our communities! Read more about our proposed combination here: https://lnkd.in/gRSFzv5s   #ruralhealthcare

Two Sanford Health leaders were named to Becker's Healthcare's "160 Community Hospital CEOs to Know" list. The list honors community hospital chief executive officers dedicated to delivering high-quality, affordable care within their communities. Chelsie Falk serves as the CEO at Sanford Wheaton Medical Center, a community hospital serving 1,400 residents and locals from surrounding rural areas, bringing a wealth of frontline health care experience to her leadership role, thanks to her background in nursing. She remains actively involved in patient care, frequently assisting with trauma codes and picking up shifts as an EMT with the Sanford Wheaton Ambulance team. Her hands-on approach ensures she stays connected to the challenges and needs of both patients and staff. Tammy Loosbrock serves as the CEO at Sanford Luverne Clinic and Sanford Rock Rapids Clinic, serving residents and locals from the surrounding rural areas, including clinics in Adrian, MN, and Edgerton, MN. She is an engaged and active leader by personally driving ambulance runs when needed and takes on tasks such as organizing materials management storage to optimize space and reduce costs. Her approach to leadership allows her to stay connected to the challenges and needs of both patients and staff. Congratulations, Chelsie and Tammy! Thank you for all of your work in delivering care to your communities!

Join Sanford Imagenetics for the ImaGENE Precision Medicine Summit, featuring lectures from pharmacy and clinical experts on this year's topic, Pharmacogenomics (PGx). The summit will be hosted in Sioux Falls with virtual accommodations available.

The Sanford Health Military and Veteran Scholarship honors those who have furthered their own progress and enriched the lives of others, especially in service, academics and community involvement. The scholarship is administered by the Sanford Health Department of Veterans and Military Services and was created in 2018 as part of the health system's efforts to serve veterans and military personnel through patient care, employment opportunities and community outreach. The application period for this year's scholarship runs until September 30. Read more: https://bit.ly/3xH7P7H

Thank you to HealthLeaders and Eric Wicklund for highlighting Sanford Health’s innovative OB virtual care and remote patient monitoring program and the impact it’s making on patients in rural northern Minnesota. Johnna Nynas, MD, OB-GYN, who was recently recognized by CNN as a Champion for Change, shared her insights: “What we were seeing is fewer patients getting the minimum recommended number of visits or starting their prenatal care very late,” she says. “And there’s not a lot of other hospitals [that deliver babies nearby], so when patients choose not to come to Sanford for their women’s healthcare, they’re not going to another hospital system. They’re just not getting care, and that’s unacceptable.” Nynas helped launch the RMOMS program in 2021, allowing Sanford Health OB providers to bring prenatal and postpartum care to those patients. “They can get their care from wherever they are,” she added. The program also connects women with community resources through a network of programs. Dr. Nynas emphasized the importance of collaboration with partners in addressing maternal health challenges and social determinants of health. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/efu56VqA