Sanford Health

The merger between Sanford Health and Marshfield Clinic Health System is bringing a shared vision to life, strengthening care and expanding access for the communities we serve. Bill Gassen, president and CEO of Sanford Health, recently spoke with Ron Southwick at Chief Healthcare Executive, about our integration process and his enthusiasm for the opportunities ahead. “I could not be more excited. The vision that we had together between Sanford Health and Marshfield Clinic Health Center is really starting to come to fruition already,” Gassen said. Bill emphasized our strong cultural alignment, commitment to investing $500 million in the Marshfield region over the next five years and synergies between our two health plans. He added: “What that’s really doing is allowing us to bring more opportunities and more choices to the market that allow our patients and members to have more options for their care.” Read the full feature here and stay tuned for additional coverage from Bill’s interview focused on how we’re advancing access, quality and sustainability in rural America. https://lnkd.in/gRBge-Q6

Reimbursement Realities: Navigating the Future of Healthcare Payments This panel at the 2030 Playbook Conference explored payer-provider-employer negotiations, policy shifts and the evolving Medicare Advantage landscape—offering insights on adapting payment models for sustainable growth and better patient outcomes. Panelists included: • Carrie Kincaid - Senior Vice President of Government & Consumer Markets and Market Development, Priority Health • Nick Olson- Chief Financial Officer, Sanford Health • Citseko Staples Miller - Managing Director, FTI Consulting #2030PlaybookConference #HealthcarePayments #Reimbursement

"Our teams have embraced a culture of innovation – this idea that we need to be open to reimagining how we deliver care and how we get our work done if we truly want to solve some of the most pressing issues facing health care today, including access, quality and sustainability," said Bill Gassen, president and CEO of Sanford Health. It is an honor to be named one of America's Most Innovative Companies for 2025 by Fortune for the third consecutive year. The list features 300 companies who do business in the United States and "transform industries inside and out." Sanford Health ranks in the top 250 and is the only South Dakota-based company recognized on the list. Read more: https://san.fo/4l4o6r4

Later this week, Nick Olson, chief financial officer at Sanford Health, will be participating in a panel discussion at Modern Healthcare's The 2030 Playbook Conference. Olson will join leaders from FTI Consulting and Modern Healthcare for "Reimbursement Realities: Navigating the Future of Healthcare Payments," a discussion that will dive into the payment mechanisms shaping care delivery, including insights on how payment models will adapt to demographic and economic shifts, and strategies to leverage these changes for sustainable growth and improved patient outcomes. Learn more: https://san.fo/42rkPuw

Sanford Health Fargo was recently recognized by Becker's Healthcare as having one of the top neuro and spine programs in the country. "We are incredibly proud to be named a top neuro and spine program in the country for the second consecutive year," said Tiffany Lawrence, Sanford Fargo president and CEO. "This is a well-deserved recognition for our team, as their efforts have helped ensure our region has access to the most-advanced stroke care, clinical trials, minimally invasive surgeries and more." All programs on the Becker's Hospital Review's "Top 100 Great Neuro and Spine Programs" were recognized for their exceptional patient outcomes, advanced surgical techniques and groundbreaking research. The Sanford Fargo Brain & Spine Center has been the first to introduce several innovative offerings to the region, including endoscopic and minimally invasive techniques to treat skull base tumors. Learn more: https://san.fo/41WGhYs

We're celebrating women all month at Sanford – women like Elizabeth Brown, MD, an OB/GYN at Sanford Health in Dickinson, North Dakota. Dr. Brown is the epitome of rural health care. Her commute includes an hour and a half drive through the farms and fields of Montana, the Badlands of North Dakota, and into the clinic parking lot. It's due to that long drive, and her background in farming and ranching, that Dr. Brown says she is often able to bond quickly with her patients. "I think it helps them be able to realize that I come from a similar situation to them. That I know kind of what they're going through, kind of their sacrifices that they make to get here. We have that in common." Read more about Dr. Brown's story: https://san.fo/402zkEG

Thank you to Becker's Healthcare and Naomi Diaz for highlighting the success of our ambient AI documentation pilot which has proven to be highly effective in boosting the provider experience! Check out these results: - 88% of clinicians report a reduction in burnout and fatigue. - 90% of clinicians report higher job satisfaction and improved work-life balance. - 95% of clinicians say the new AI tool has reduced mental strain. As Roxana Lupu, MD, chief medical information officer, shared: "From a health system perspective, this is an investment – not just in technology, but in our clinicians and their well-being." With such positive results, we are excited to expand the program. Read the feature story: https://san.fo/4j3derB

In a recent Becker's Healthcare feature, Todd Schaffer, MD, president and CEO of Sanford Health Bismarck, reflected on his biggest lesson of 2024: Meaningful change takes time, discipline and endurance. "We've seen firsthand that staying the course is what drives lasting success," he shared. Read more from Dr. Schaffer and other health care leaders: https://san.fo/3Rkd9E7

Sanford Health Fargo was recently named one of the nation's 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals according to an independent quality analysis based on a balanced scorecard provided by Premier Inc. "We are honored to be recognized as one of the top heart hospitals in the country," said Tiffany Lawrence, Sanford Fargo president and CEO. "From physician clinic appointments and preventive heart screenings to TAVR and TCAR, our heart team covers the full spectrum of heart care... We are committed to addressing rural health care challenges and providing high-quality, affordable care to everyone in our region." Learn more: https://san.fo/420OHwx

Becker's Healthcare recently featured the biggest lessons of the last year from 36 C-suite executives. Nick Olson, executive vice president and chief financial officer at Sanford Health, shared a couple lessons that stand out to him. One lesson? The most effective partnerships are built on a shared vision and mission. "When cultures are aligned, teams operate with clarity and purpose – and challenges become opportunities rather than obstacles," he added. Read more insights from Nick and other top executives: https://san.fo/4hHtBZZ