Major Altru announcement

[Trunk Monkey]

I don't think it's necessary to bash Sanford. I've worked for both at different locations and both are good health care providers. As a contracted professional rather than an employee, I can't speak to their internal differences.

Not allowed to express my opinion...wait a second...this is a forum which is all about people being able to opinions THEIR opinion even if it is contrary to what you believe... but whatever.

[Sioux-cia]

Recently, I visited an ER in rural ND and was very excited to hear about a new technology that they will be implementing in their emergency department. They are installing cameras and microphones into one of their larger patient rooms which will directly link them with board certified ER physicians who are hundreds of miles away. Those ER physicians will have the capability to control the camera inorder to better visualize the patient, monitoring equipment, and to speak directly with the patient, staff, and family members,if need be. In addition, they will be visible on a large screen monitor so the patient and staff can see them. As this is the area I prefer to practice, I'm really, really excited about these new advances in medical care; especially for small rural facilities.

I wonder if that is part of the 'electronic consultations' (not specifically ER but all specialties) Altru and Mayo will have or if they are just refering to faxing/emailing/texting in real time?

[Sioux-cia]

Not allowed to express my opinion...wait a second...this is a forum which is all about people being able to opinions THEIR opinion even if it is contrary to what you believe... but whatever.

I can't express my opinion? Whatever.....

[redwing77]

Recently, I visited an ER in rural ND and was very excited to hear about a new technology that they will be implementing in their emergency department. They are installing cameras and microphones into one of their larger patient rooms which will directly link them with board certified ER physicians who are hundreds of miles away. Those ER physicians will have the capability to control the camera inorder to better visualize the patient, monitoring equipment, and to speak directly with the patient, staff, and family members,if need be. In addition, they will be visible on a large screen monitor so the patient and staff can see them. As this is the area I prefer to practice, I'm really, really excited about these new advances in medical care; especially for small rural facilities.

I wonder if that is part of the 'electronic consultations' (not specifically ER but all specialties) Altru and Mayo will have or if they are just refering to faxing/emailing/texting in real time?

Probably a combination of the two?

[Trunk Monkey]

Probably a combination of the two?

Avera Health in Sioux Falls SD is the one who provides the services Sioux Cia is referring to - great technology for rural states such as SD and ND.

[Let'sGoHawks!]

Much better option than Sanford. Sanford likes to always say they are world class whereas Mayo has actually proven to be world class for a very long time.

I've worked for Mayo, not for Sanford. Mayo is world class. I heard something yesterday from Sanford that congratulated Altru for partnering with one of Sanford's "peers" in Mayo. Mayo shot back that both Altru and Mayo have been around longer than Sanford has been in existence. Pretty funny stuff. This has to help with Altru's image, which is shaky around here.

[iramurphy]

Anyone know if Sanford ever actually made that big donation last fall?

This morning might be a good time to get that check cashed....

The negotiations are ongoing and the $10,000,000 is still on the table from what I understand. The relationship between Mayo and Altru won't affect the support Sanford is willing to commit to in supporting the University of North Dakota nor UND atheltics. Sanford is sponsoring the UND Siouxper Swings for the second year this summer.

Sanford and Mayo have a number of mutually beneficial relationships, including use of the Mayo laboratory services, pathology services, and the relationship between Mayo and the Roger Maris Cancer center.

With regards to other comments on this subject, I think this relationship with Altru and Mayo is intriguing. I wish Mayo would have purchased Altru. The electronic and telehealth services referenced by others have been available and used in this area for a number of years by others. I understand that a lot of that technology was developed by the US military. Many people don't realize how much of the technology developed by and for our military is used in other industries and the medical field especially has benefitted.

The Mayo story is fascinating and if any one is interested the book "Brothers Mayo" is an interesting story of how a small group of Catholic nuns convinced the Mayo brothers father to staff a small hospital in Rochester over 100 years ago. The two boys Will and Charlie subsequently went to medical school at Michigan State and Rush University before returning home to Rochester. Many of the techniques for record keeping was developed by Mayo staff and an internist named Plummer developed or invented a number of technologies used to make record keeping and communication more efficient. What the Mayo brothers did was to travel the world to learn new surgical procedures and techniques that they then brought home to Rochester. Eventually they developed a reputation such that surgeons from around the world began traveling to Rochester to observe techniques and procedures developed by them. Mayo was one of the first, if not the first, to utilize the style of specialists working together in one organiziation.

Mayo has a world class reputation and has been around for over 100 years. Mayo has been on the cutting edge of medical technology and research for many years. The Mayo Foundation (I believe) has over a billion $ in assets.

Having said that, Sanford is a also world class health care organization but does not yet have the world class reputation even close to that of Mayo. Merit Care/ Sanford have had Cardiology services, Oncology services (Roger Maris Cancer Center) and Urology services to name three that have been ranked amoung our country's best by US New and World Report and other ranking services. Sanford's diabetes research is doing some cutting edge stuff and recently found a way to get the pancreas of diabetic mice to reproduce insulin. Human trials are recently underway. Sanford is building Pediatric clinics in underserved areas around the world and around the country . Don't sell Sanford or Altru short. When I was doing my residency, residents form Mayo's family medicine residency were sent to the UND Family Medicine residency in GF for their OB rotations because the rotation for Family medicine residents at Mayo was substandard.

Doesn't mean every patient has had their expectations met. When I was at Mayo that didn't occur either and still doesn't, but to insinuate Sanford Health is not a player in providing top notch health care to rural areas would not be accurate.

[Sioux-cia]

Ira, interesting info on the Mayo brothers. A patient told me this morning an interesting fact about WW Mayo. His brother in law is a Mayo physician. The brother in law told my patient that the bodies of the 38 Indians hung in Mankato in the late 1800s were 'stolen' by one of the Mayo brothers and used for research. In addition, some of the bodies/parts were put on display. Sort of puts a shadow upon the Mayo history.

[iramurphy]

Ira, interesting info on the Mayo brothers. A patient told me this morning an interesting fact about WW Mayo. His brother in law is a Mayo physician. The brother in law told my patient that the bodies of the 38 Indians hung in Mankato in the late 1800s were 'stolen' by one of the Mayo brothers and used for research. In addition, some of the bodies/parts were put on display. Sort of puts a shadow upon the Mayo history.

I believe there is truth to that story. The the elder Mayo was also an Army Surgeon and had access to corpses. That was a time when medicine was just starting to be regulated and transitioning from the Barber/Doctor who may send for his mail order degree to licensed and physicians trained by accredited schools.

[tnt]

Shouldn't that mean that nobody within the NCAA should ever go to the Mayo Clinic? That's right, they just want to tell other people what's offensive.