Altru Makes Top 100 List

By Edison, John

After landing on a list of the country’s top 100 integrated health networks for the first time last year, Altru Health System gained some ground in 2007.

Verispan, a health care information company that complied the list, placed Altru at 93 for 2007, which is up one spot from a year ago. Fargo’s MeritCare Health System was 95 on this year’s list. St. John’s Health System, which is based in Springfield, Mo., landed at No. 1.

Verispan rates local and regional, nonspecialty integrated health care networks on their performance level and degree of integration. Performance is analyzed based on eight categories: integration, integrated tech nology, contractual cap capabilities, outpatient utilization, financial stability, services and access. physicians and hospital utilization.

“To make an integrated health system work it takes focus, coordination of services and an unrelenting commitment to improve quality,” said Dave Molmen, Altru’s chief operating officer in a written statement.

Ten years following the integration of United Hospital and Grand Forks Clinic, it appears our efforts are paying off.”

Verispan’s top 100 networks were selected from a pool of 570 nonspecialty. local and regional networks in the United States.

Altru Health System is a nonprofit integrated health system that serves 17 counties in northeastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota. It was formed on July 1, 1997 when Grand Forks Clinic and United Hospital integrated. Today, Altru employs 200 physicians and 3,700 staff.

Copyright Grand Forks Herald Inc. Feb 22, 2007

(c) 2007 Grand Forks Herald. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.