HER NEUROLOGICAL PROBLEMS IT WAS RECOM MENDED LOCALLY THAT SHE WOULD NEED BRAIN SURGERY 3HE LEARNED OF THE &UND S h#EN TERS OF %XCELLENCEv PROGRAM AND CALLED THE PATIENT ADVOCACY NUMBER OPERATED BY (EALTH 3YSTEMS -ANAGEMENT THE #OALITION S AND (EALTH &UNDS PARTNER AND VENDOR FOR SPECIALIST REFERRAL INFORMATION )T IS ALWAYS THE PATIENT AND OR THE PRIMARY CARE DOCTOR WHO ACTS ON THE INFORMATION TO MAKE THE REFERRAL !FTER HEARING DETAILS OF HER MEDICAL CONDITION AND IMPENDING SURGERY (EALTH 3YSTEMS -ANAGEMENT PROVIDED INFORMA TION TO THE WOMAN THAT LED HER TO SELF REFER TO A #ENTER OF %XCELLENCE 4HE SUBSEQUENT BRAIN SCAN AND EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT SHE WAS PROVIDED THE WRONG MEDICATION PREVIOUSLY SHE DID NOT HAVE A TUMOR AND SURGERY WAS NOT INDICATED .OW WHAT WAS THE QUALITY RETURN TO THE MEMBER AND COST SAVINGS TO THE (EALTH AND 7ELFARE &UND 3ELF INSURED (EALTH AND 7ELFARE &UNDS PARTICULARLY IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY hGET THE FACTv THAT RE WORK AND COMPLICA TIONS ARE NOT ONLY POOR QUALITY BUT ALSO THE &UND ENDS UPON PAYING FOR THESE AVOIDABLE EVENTS 'LEN *OHNSON )5/% &UND TRUSTEE AND "USINESS -ANAGER OF ,OCAL ESTIMATED THAT THE PROGRAM COULD CONSERVATIVELY SAVE THE FUND BE TWEEN OR MORE PER YEAR )N -ARCH THE 5NITED &OOD AND #OM MERCIAL 7ORKERS 5&#7 ,OCAL ANOTHER LARGE MEMBER OF THE #OALITION BARGAINED FOR THE #ENTERS OF %XCELLENCE PROGRAM 4HE TRUST FUND INCLUDES OVER WORKERS COVERED LIVES IN RETAIL STORES HEALTH CARE AND MEAT PRO CESSING IN -INNESOTA 4HE 5NION TOLD -ANAGEMENT 4RUSTEES THAT THEY WANTED TO IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM -ANAGEMENT AGREED 4HE #OALITION BELIEVES PROVIDING THE BEST QUALITY TO MEMBERS AND SAVINGS TO &UNDS AND %MPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS IS A PERFECT INTERSECT OF INTERESTS BETWEEN ,ABOR
AND -ANAGEMENT 4HIS PAST MONTH STATE EMPLOYEE LABOR GROUPS ALSO BARGAINED FOR THE PROGRAM AND FOLLOWING A REVIEW OF POTENTIAL VENDORS THE PROGRAM IS EXPECTED TO BE AVAILABLE TO STATE EMPLOY EES AND DEPENDENTS IN /THER &UND 4RUSTEES ARE CONSIDERING THE PROGRAM AS WELL )N THE HEART CARE AREA IT IS ESTIMATED BASED ON A STUDY CONDUCTED IN -INNESOTA THAT AS MUCH AS TO CAN BE SAVED PER CASE BY HAVING CARE PROVIDED BY A CERTIlED HEART CENTER 4HIS IS BENEl CIAL NOT ONLY FOR MANAGEMENT AND LABOR BUT ALSO FOR PROVIDERS WHO AS A RESULT OF DOING THE BEST JOB RECEIVE HIGHER REFERRAL VOLUME "RINGING IT 4OGETHER
4OP BUSINESS LEADERS SHOULD EXAMINE THE POTENTIAL OF USING THE CORE BUSINESS STRATE GIES THAT THEY USE IN THEIR EXTENDED ENTER PRISE WITH SUPPLIERS TO PURCHASE HEALTH
-ETRO$OCTORS 4HE *OURNAL OF THE (ENNEPIN AND 2AMSEY -EDICAL 3OCIETIES
CARE 3UCH AN APPROACH WOULD BENElT COMPANIES EMPLOYEES DEPENDENTS AND RETIREES /THER ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE h3MART "UYv !LLIANCE ANNOUNCED BY THE 'OVERNOR ARE MOBILIZING AROUND THIS NEW APPROACH 3UPPORT FROM STATEWIDE LEADERSHIP WILL REINFORCE EFFORTS AND ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC SECTOR INCLUDING CITIES COUNTIES AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO ADOPT A SIMILAR APPROACH )F YOU OR YOUR ORGANIZATION WISHES MORE INFORMATION ON THE SUGGESTED APPROACH THE ,ABOR -ANAGEMENT #OALITION OR THE STATEWIDE h3MART "UYv !LLIANCE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT THE AUTHOR * " h3EANv +ENNEY 0H $ IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ,ABOR -ANAGEMENT (EALTH #ARE #OALITION OF THE 5PPER -IDWEST BASED IN THE 4WIN #ITIES AND IS A CO CHAIR OF THE -INNESOTA h3MART "UYv !LLIANCE 9EARS AGO -R +ENNEY SERVED ON THE MEDICAL SCHOOL FACULTY AT THE 5 OF -. AS $IREC TOR OF 'RADUATE 3TUDIES FOR &AMILY 0RACTICE AND #OMMUNITY (EALTH 9OU MAY CONTACT HIM AT SKENNEY JREC NET OR
.OVEMBER $ECEMBER