Sanford Health is receiving an award to transform health care delivery through the full integration of primary and behavioral health care in South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota clinics. Sanford's enhanced fully integrated medical home model features patient‐centered collaborative teams of primary and behavioral health professionals. The Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries along with the Native American and multicultural populations will benefit significantly from this award. This model of workforce development and rapid process redesign, along with the integration of behavioral health and primary care, will improve clinical outcomes and drive efficient utilization of resources.
Key aims include transforming the role of Primary Care, integrating RN Health Coaches and Behavioral Health Triage Therapists, fully integrating behavioral health care into the medical home model, maximizing Information Technology and standardizing transparent clinical metrics. Tele-health technology will allow patients at remote clinic sites to access enhanced clinical services including psychologists and psychiatrists. Over a three-year period, Sanford Health’s program will train an estimated 425 health care providers creating enhanced clinical and patient engagement skills, as well as create an estimated 23 jobs in the areas of clinical services, behavioral health, and information technology.