[DULUTH, MINNESOTA, May 5, 2023] St. Luke’s hosted the Wilderness Health “Coordination of Care Roundtable” on May 5th, 2023. Nearly thirty social workers, nurses, and care coordinators from hospitals and clinics across Northeast MN and Northwest WI attended in person or virtually.
Presenters shared programs and best practices for patients experiencing substance use disorder, trauma and mental health concerns. Dr. Heather Bell, a family medicine and addiction specialist doctor teamed up with Josh Solem, a peer recovery support specialist who helps patients heal from substance use disorders. They engaged the group in a discussion about how to support patients with evidence-based treatment and compassion. Staff from the Minnesota Department of Health taught the group about trauma-informed care, with the plan to continue this education through the summer into fall. Other invited guests shared mental health tools and information about substance use disorder evaluations.
The group brainstormed an ideal vision for telehealth in our region. Telehealth 2030 is an ongoing project to imagine what telehealth will look like when it can serve everyone. The participants emphasized equitable access to internet and easy-to-use tech devices. They also reflected on the benefits of telehealth in rural areas where there are fewer specialists.
Care Coordinators serve as essential partners to patients, helping pair them with services that support them while in the hospital and at home. Care coordinators make the work of doctors, nurse practitioners, mental health professionals, and others easier. They aim to make the patient experience seamless. The roundtable encouraged participants to share resources and best practices. They also created networks across the region.
Hilja Iverson, Social Worker at North Shore Health in Grand Marais said: “I am so appreciative for Wilderness Health for organizing these meaningful events as well as the presenters and regional care coordinators for their attendance and participation. These opportunities to gather allow us to support one another, share resources, strategize system improvement and new initiatives, and learn something new that can help us with our work in our home communities. The collaboration and partnership have made a positive impact on my daily work and consequently in the lives of all of the patients I am working with.”
Katie Peck, Registered Nurse Care Navigator with Wilderness Health added: “I have the utmost gratitude for these incredibly hardworking individuals. These care coordinators humbly strive daily to meet the requests of their care team, while advocating for the needs of their patients to ensure optimal care is being received.” Peck organized the roundtable with support from Wilderness Health staff.
Attendees participated on Zoom or in-person from as far as the St. Luke’s Chequamegon Clinic in Ashland to the east and North Shore Health in Grand Marais to the north. They came from hospitals from metro areas like St. Luke’s in Duluth and critical access hospitals serving smaller communities like Ely, Bigfork, and Cook.
About Wilderness Health
About Wilderness Health- a non-profit collaborative of independent providers working together to improve rural health care in Northeastern Minnesota and Wisconsin. Headquartered in Two Harbors since 2013, Wilderness Health aims to create a unified and supportive network for its members through its core values of collaboration, independence, networking, and quality. Visit our website at www.wildernesshealthmn.org.
Wilderness Health is the recipient of the 2022 Minnesota Rural Health Team Award awarded by the Minnesota Department of Health.
Wilderness Health Members:
Bigfork Valley Hospital
Community Memorial Hospital
Cook Hospital
Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital
Fairview Range / Range Regional Health Services
Grand Itasca Clinic & Hospital
Lake View Hospital
North Shore Health
St. Luke’s