Wilderness Health

PROVIDE BETTER HEALTHCARE FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES IN NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTA & NORTHWESTERN WISCONSIN

WILDERNESS HEALTH, INC. IS A SUPPORTING ORGANIZATION THAT OPERATES AS A COLLABORATIVE OF INDEPENDENT HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, ALL OF WHICH ARE GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS OR 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATIONS. THESE HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS PROVIDE HOSPITAL, MEDICAL AND OTHER HEALTH CARE SERVICES TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC IN NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTA AND NORTHWESTERN WISCONSIN.-THE PURPOSE OF OUR ORGANIZATION IS TO ADVANCE PATIENT AND COMMUNITY HEALTH OUTCOMES, IMPROVE PATIENT EXPERIENCE, AND LOWER THE COSTS OF PROVIDING HEALTH CARE SERVICES BY WORKING TOGETHER WITH OUR MEMBERS TO EXPLORE WAYS THEY CAN PROVIDE THEIR CHARITABLE SERVICES MORE EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND THE HEALTH CARE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. WE ARE SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON HEALTH ISSUES IN THE MOSTLY RURAL COMMUNITIES OUR MEMBERS SERVE AND WHERE THEIR PATIENT BASES RESIDE.OUR CURRENT INITIATIVES ARE THE FOLLOWING:-FULFILL AND EFFECTUATE THE MISSION OF THE CORPORATION, AND FACILITATE COLLABORATION AND IMPROVE PATIENT CARE AND OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES BETWEEN VARIOUS HOSPITALS, CLINICS AND OTHER PROVIDERS IN NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTA;-PROMOTE EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE AND PATIENT ENGAGEMENT, REPORT ON QUALITY AND COST METRICS AND COORDINATE CARE;-PARTICIPATE IN VARIOUS PAYOR CONTRACTS AND ACCOUNTABLE CARE PROGRAMS, AND APPLY FOR GRANTS AND OTHER FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE CORPORATION'S PURPOSES;-DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A FRAMEWORK FOR SHARED SERVICES BETWEEN MEMBERS AND PARTICIPANTS IN THE CORPORATION;-ENABLE THE CORPORATION'S PARTICIPANTS TO WORK TOGETHER TO MANAGE AND COORDINATE CARE FOR BENEFICIARIES;-ESTABLISH, REPORT AND ENSURE PROVIDER COMPLIANCE WITH HEALTH CARE QUALITY CRITERIA, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, QUALITY PERFORMANCE STANDARDS;-FULFILL THE FUNCTIONS OF AN ACCOUNTABLE CARE ORGANIZATION, AS PROVIDED IN VARIOUS PAYOR CONTRACTS;-RECEIVE AND DISTRIBUTE SHARED SAVINGSCOMMITTEES, SUBCOMMITTEES, AND ROUNDTABLES HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED WITH BOTH MEMBER RESPRESENTATION AS WELL AS INDEPEDENT PROVIDERS (SUCH AS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, COUNTIES, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, AND LOCAL UNIVERSITIES THAT COLLABORATE WITH WILDERNESS HEALTH AND ITS SUPPORTED ORGANIZATIONS AND PATIENTS.WE HAVE IDENTIFIED AND COMMITTED TO THE FOLLOWING PRIORITY STRATEGIC INITIATIVES FOR THE CURRENT PERIOD:ACCESS AND INNOVATION: IDENTIFY THE ROOT CAUSES FOR OBSTACLES TO CARE. LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATIVE PRACTICES, AND COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS TO EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS COMMON BARRIERS TO CARE. SOME KEY FOCUS AREAS INCLUDE EXPANDING ACCESS TO TELEHEALTH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT LISTENING SESSIONS, AND PARTNERING WITH OTHER REGIONAL PARTNERS TO COORDINATE, NOT DUPLICATE, REGIONAL RESOURCES. SUPPORT FOR THIS WORK INCLUDES FUNDING FROM HRSA RURAL HEALTH NETWORK DEVELOPMENT GRANTS, WHICH HAVE SEEDED DEVELOPMENT OF TELEMENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES IN BOTH THE AMBULATORY AND EMERGENCY ROOM SETTINGS AT SEVERAL MEMBER SITES.QUALITY-FOCUSED CARE: ENHANCING CARE MANAGEMENT AND ADDRESSING UTILIZATION BARRIERS TO SUPPORT HIGH QUALITY, EFFICIENT PATIENT CARE WHILE ALSO MEETING OR EXCEEDING NETWORK CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS. KEY FOCUS AREAS INCLUDE ENHANCING POST-ACUTE CARE, INCREASING PREVENTIVE VISITS, AND REVIEWING UTILIZATION REVIEW OPPORTUNITIES. SINCE JANUARY 2015, WILDERNESS HEALTH HAS CONTRACTED WITH THE STATE OF MINNESOTA IN THE INTEGRATED HEALTH PARTNERSHIP (IHP), WHICH IS A DEMONSTRATION MEDICAID ACCOUNTABLE CARE ORGANIZATION (ACO) PROGRAM. IHPS ARE PART OF MINNESOTA'S EFFORTS TO ACCELERATE PARTICIPATION IN ALTERNATIVE PAYMENT MODELS OF PAYMENT FOR ATTRIBUTED MEDICAID PATIENTS WITH THE GOAL OF IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF PATIENTS WHILE REDUCING THE TOTAL COST OF CARE. PROVIDERS ARE MEASURED AGAINST TARGETS FOR COST AND QUALITY AND RECEIVE CLAIMS DATA AND ANALYSIS FROM THE STATE REGARDING THEIR PATIENTS. AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2023, THERE WERE 18,496 PATIENTS ATTRIBUTED TO WILDERNESS HEALTH IN CONNECTION WITH THE IHP.WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: RECRUIT, EDUCATE, AND RETAIN A HEALTHY, SKILLED, AND SUSTAINABLE WORKFORCE. KEY FOCUS AREAS INCLUDE EDUCATION AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR BOTH CLINICAL AND NON-CLINICAL STAFF, ROUNDTABLE SUPPORT, AND DEVELOPING RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE NETWORK.

WILDERNESS HEALTH HAS BEEN ACTING AS A FISCAL SPONSOR FOR A LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION TO SUPPORT COVID-19 GRANT-FUNDED OUTREACH AND EDUCATION EFFORTS TO THE LOCAL AFRICAN HERITAGE COMMUNITY. THIS WORK INCLUDES MASK DISTRIBUTION, COMMUNITY SURVEYS, EDUCATION, TESTING, AND VACCINE OUTREACH EFFORTS. THROUGH 2020 THIS WAS WITH THE DULUTH NAACP AND HAS SHIFTED TO HEALTH EQUITY NORTHLAND AS OF 2021.