It also makes things less complicated for patients, he said. “You’d often heard complaints from patients about why wasn’t this all in place or why are they doing the same tests again? This helps with that.” Mayo is also relying on a variety of technology to help providers deliver better care to patients. The local Mayo system is a certified telestroke center in which a wide variety of test results and data from someone who just suffered a stroke can be relayed instantly to a team of Mayo neurologists, who may be in Arizona. “When someone has a stroke, it’s very time sensitive. Some people should be given a clot-busting drug early on, but it’s risky to do and it’s not given at small hospitals. It’s a very complex decision to see who gets it and sometimes people who should have gotten it didn’t,” Kutcher said. “Now they can get a neurologist online immediately to help them make the diagnosis and if they need (the clot-busting drug) they can be sent to Mankato or wherever.” Clinic’s expansion underway The biggest project since Mankato Clinic built its Wickersham Campus several years ago is under way as a $9 million pediatric center is going up there with an opening set for late fall. Part of the pediatric clinic will include space for Gillette Children’s Health Center as part of an expanded partnership between Mankato Clinic and Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare in St. Paul. “We’ll be able to offer not only general care but sub-specialized pediatric care through Gillette,” Farrow said. “They will offer things like pediatric cardiology, urology, endocrinology. “Kids have special needs because their organs aren’t fully developed and these physicians have the specialization. It will be a significant expansion of what we can do.” He said things such as having specialists on hand to adjust braces for special needs kids will be a big help for parents. “A lot of times the braces need to be adjusted once or twice a month, and they won’t have to go to the Cities or somewhere else.” Farrow said that as part of their effort to improve care, the clinic
brings in focus groups, including one that was made up of parents of pediatric patients. “A lot of the comments were that it’s not easy to come in from 8 to 5, so we’re offering evening hours now in pediatrics, Monday through Thursday,” he said. “We’re putting a lot of emphasis on how we deliver care. Another new approach is a return to house calls – sort of. “We’re starting something we call Blue Stone, a program to provide primary care services on site for people who live in assisted-living facilities. Some of these folks are frail and it’s hard for them to be transported and some may have cognitive issues,” Farrow said. Teams consisting of a physician, nurse practitioner and a support person go out regularly to sites that have contracted with the clinic. “They get to know the people, which helps with their care. We have four (sites) signed up already, and we think it will be very popular and we expect a lot more to sign up.” The clinic also started a new dialysis center, in partnership with DaVita Dialysis, at Madison East Center. Farrow said it is popular with patients. “It’s really exceeded our expectations. We just saw a growing need for that service, unfortunately. People have to come in at least three times a week and spend several hours, so we want to make it a nice place for them. We’ve gotten a lot of good feedback.” The clinic also spent last year beefing up the psychology and psychiatric departments. “We’ve really expanded there. We added two or three more providers that focus on children’s behavioral health. That was a big need we couldn’t meet before.” All told, the clinic added 17 new physicians and advance-service providers last year. “We continue to grow. The future of health care is obviously uncertain with all the reforms. But we think if we stay focused on trying to provide the best care possible and creating excellent patient experiences, we’ll be successful,” Farrow said. MV
occupational medicine on-site services
Mankato Clinic Urgent Care @ Adams Street is your provider of on-site and in-clinic Occupational Medicine Services. Our staff is committed to keeping your workers healthy and getting them back to work quickly and safely after an injury or illness. Services provided by our Occupational Health Nurse at your site: • Designated contact person for companies • Ergonomic worksite evaluations • Vaccines • Health and Wellness fairs • Educational seminars • Company site visits To schedule an on-site appointment, call 507-625-7684. For more information on additional occupational medicine services visit, www.mankatoclinic.com.