Storytelling Feature: Fairview Health Services

Storytelling Feature: Fairview Health Services

Care systems represent a unique segment of our membership because, not only are they some of the largest employers (and, therefore, health care purchasers) in the state, they are also health care service providers. They come to our meetings with great curiosity about what their fellow members — the people who write the checks for health care — really want.

“We like to sit at the table with other employers to collaborate and innovate in the delivery of and payment for health care,” says Rene’ Coult-Calendine, senior director, marketing, outreach, and product development at Fairview Health Systems. “We recently became Action Group members because we were among the presenters they convened to discuss the ACO landscape in Minnesota and how we can all contribute to improving the health of our communities while lowering costs. I was really impressed by the quality of the discussion and the commitment to improvement by the attendees.”

The Action Group is a go-to resource for all purchasers of health care: Large and small employers; self-insured; private or public; for-profit or not-for-profit. Because we are focused on health care, and only health care, we create an environment for working together toward a common purpose to address common needs.

“The collective strength of our members allows us to do together what no organization, company or person could do alone,” says Carolyn Pare, president and CEO of The Action Group. “It’s great to have care systems among our member community as their dual position — as purchaser and provider — helps us ensure the economic vitality of the state of Minnesota.”

In addition to Fairview, The Action Group counts HealthPartners and Park Nicollet as members, in addition to vital service providers like CDI, Midwest Spine, and Minnesota Gastroenterology.

“I’m interested in learning how to become involved in member and community initiatives at The Action Group,” says Carolyn Jacobson, chief human resources officer at Fairview. “It will be especially interesting to explore how, collectively, we can address employee wellbeing in different ways to improve workforce health while managing costs more effectively.”

As a member-led coalition, rather than an association, The Action Group provides the perfect opportunity for like-minded employers to join forces and roll up their sleeves to improve health care throughout Minnesota. We provide the needed infrastructure, support and expertise to facilitate forward direction.