Mayo Clinic, Altru Health System Enter Contractual Affiliation

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

ROCHESTER, Minn. and GRAND FORKS, N.D. — Mayo Clinic and Altru Health System today announced a contractual relationship to further extend Mayo Clinic's knowledge and expertise to patients and providers throughout the Altru system. The agreement formalizes a long-standing relationship between the two organizations. Altru patients and physicians now will benefit from enhanced access to Mayo physicians and clinical resources.

"While others quickly consolidate to address health care reform and an uncertain reimbursement environment, at Mayo we are focused on further developing our integrated model of practice, education and research, as well as a range of external affiliations and relationships, to give more people seamless access to the knowledge and expertise of Mayo Clinic," says John Noseworthy, M.D., president and CEO of Mayo Clinic.

"Altru physicians have long worked with our colleagues at Mayo Clinic, and this agreement is the natural next step in this relationship," says Casey Ryan, M.D., president of Altru Health System. "Altru and Mayo share the commitment that health care should be provided close to home whenever possible. This affiliation means that Altru's patients will have access to the highest level of clinical expertise."

"We are proud to formalize our ongoing relationship with our colleagues at Altru Health System," says David Herman, M.D., of the Mayo Clinic Board of Governors. "Mayo and Altru have long shared a common philosophy, commitment and mission to improve the delivery of health care through high quality, data-driven, evidence-based medical care and treatment."

"Altru Health System is proud to be the community's locally owned health system," says Dave Molmen, Altru CEO. "We are excited about the new tools this affiliation will provide for outstanding patient care in northeast North Dakota and northwest Minnesota."

Altru physicians will have access to Mayo Clinic's evidence-based disease management protocols, clinical care guidelines, treatment recommendations and reference materials for complex medical conditions. Examples of current collaborations include pediatric and cancer services. Mayo Clinic pediatric cardiologists travel to Grand Forks to provide care for Altru's patients, saving many families the expense and disruption of frequent travel to Rochester. In addition, Altru Cancer Center has worked with Mayo Clinic as part of the North Central Cancer Treatment Group to provide patients with access to clinical trials that test emerging cancer treatment options. These aspects will continue and will be enhanced by the affiliation.

About Altru Health System

Altru Health System is a community-owned, integrated system with an acute care hospital, a rehabilitation hospital, more than a dozen clinics in Grand Forks and the region, a large home care network, and a congregate living facility. It employs nearly 200 physicians and 3,800 staff and has an annual net operating revenue of more than $400 million.

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About Mayo Clinic

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