CHI St. Alexius Health and Mayo Clinic

Working Together… we think that’s the key to better healthcare for you and your family. And now the doctors and specialists at CHI St. Alexius Health and Mayo Clinic are joining forces. Our specialists will work together to resolve the hard-to-solve medical problems and to find better answers. For you that means peace of mind, and access to the finest medical knowledge available. Right at home.

What is the Mayo Clinic Care Network?
The Mayo Clinic Care Network (MCCN) is a unique collaboration with Mayo Clinic that connects CHI St. Alexius Health physicians and Mayo Clinic specialists. CHI St. Alexius Health healthcare providers will have use of electronic care reference and communication tools to access the latest Mayo Clinic knowledge and expertise.

Why did Mayo Clinic create the Mayo Clinic Care Network?
Collaborating with other medical providers to provide the best possible care for patients has always been part of Mayo Clinic’s culture. The Mayo Clinic Care Network helps Mayo and community care organizations work closer together – in new ways – to enhance the lives of patients. 

Why did Mayo Clinic choose CHI St. Alexius Health for participation in the Mayo Clinic Care Network?
CHI St. Alexius Health was selected to join the Mayo Clinic Care Network because CHI St. Alexius Health shares a common philosophy, commitment and mission to improve the delivery of healthcare through high-quality, data-driven, evidence-based medical care and treatment. In addition, CHI St. Alexius Health had to pass Mayo Clinic’s rigorous review process based on quality, service and operational criteria.

Why is CHI St. Alexius Health collaborating with Mayo Clinic?
CHI St. Alexius Health, in partnership with our medical staff and nurses, has made tremendous progress in our
approach to care based on the latest medical knowledge and best practices from leaders in healthcare. This will assist us as we continually seek out the latest research and treatment recommendations from the experts at the Mayo Clinic.

What does this formal collaboration mean for patients?
CHI St. Alexius Health physicians will have access to the latest Mayo Clinic expertise and clinical care resources to use when treating our patients. These resources include:

• AskMayoExpert, a state-of-the-art online tool created and used by Mayo Clinic, AskMayoExpert makes Mayo-vetted knowledge and expertise available at the point of care, and covers disease management, clinical care guidelines, treatment recommendations and reference materials for a variety of medical conditions.
• eConsults that serve to connect St. Alexius physicians with Mayo Clinic experts when CHI St. Alexius Health physicians want additional input regarding a patient’s care.

Does this mean that CHI St. Alexius Health could  be purchased by Mayo?
This agreement is not an acquisition or merger. Mayo Clinic Care Network members like St. Alexius remain independent, community-owned healthcare providers.

What other health systems are members of the Mayo Clinic Care Network?
CHI St. Alexius Health joins Altru Health System in ND, Kingman Regional Medical Center and Arizona State University in AZ, Heartland Health System in MO, Dartmouth-Hitchcock in NH, NCH in FL, NorthShore University HealthSystem in IL, and Sparrow in Lansing MI, in the Mayo Clinic Care Network.

Why is St. Alexius making all of these announcements lately?
CHI St. Alexius Health recognizes that if we are to achieve our vision of being a recognized leader in quality and the patient experience, we have a responsibility to take the lead in fundamentally transforming healthcare in western North Dakota.  In support of this, CHI St. Alexius Health is committed to seeking new ways to partner with quality care providers to:

• Create greater alignment around improved quality and patient experience;
• Jointly work with providers to develop clinical guidelines to ensure the highest quality of care for patients who need to be transferred to different levels of care;
• Ensure that care is always delivered in the best quality and most cost-advantageous clinical setting as close to the patient’s home as possible.

Will this agreement mean I will be automatically referred to the Mayo Clinic?
No, there is no obligation for referrals to the Mayo Clinic. The primary goal of CHI St. Alexius Health and Mayo Clinic, through its Mayo Clinic Care Network, is to help patients gain the benefits of Mayo knowledge and expertise while they continue to receive their care as close to home as possible, ensuring they need travel outside the region for care only when necessary.