Our vision for breakthrough care in the East Metro
For more than 160 years, we have proudly served St. Paul area and the wider East Metro community. We remain deeply committed to the people we serve, and to our mission to bring breakthrough medicine to all Minnesotans. The East Metro is a key part of our vision for creating a healthcare system that makes healthcare not only simpler, but more affordable, accessible, and equitable.
To better serve the East Metro, we are planning robust growth at two hospitals, paired with a new hub-and-spoke model of care. This vision includes expanded access to primary and specialty care, continued technological innovation, and improved connections to leading-edge University of Minnesota-driven research – so that the latest medical advances are readily available for our communities.
But healthcare doesn’t start or stop at our hospitals or clinics. We know around 80 percent of a person’s overall health is influenced by socioeconomic factors like job status, social support, access to healthy food and more. Many people also face barriers to healthcare. The Fairview Community Health and Wellness Hub taking shape in St. Paul is dedicated to addressing these social determinants of health. To help meet rising mental health needs in Minnesota, we are building a new, 144-bed, state-of-the-art mental health hospital in partnership with Acadia Healthcare, which would expand access to a full spectrum of mental health care services. Importantly, no patient at the facility would be denied access to care based on their ability to pay.
Making healthcare easier – our hub-and-spoke model
Central to our vision is a new hub-and-spoke model. Our dozens of community-based primary care clinics will be closely linked with comprehensive care hubs that bring top experts and specialists together under a single roof. These “one-stop-shop” hubs will be more convenient for our patients, because they provide same-day access to multiple services, such as radiology or expanded laboratory testing.
Each hub, in turn, will be connected to nearby acute-care hospitals. In the East Metro, this will include M Health Fairview St. John’s Hospital in Maplewood and M Health Fairview Woodwinds Hospital in Woodbury. We have already started adding new services and investing in new equipment at these locations to bring this vision to life.
Our primary care model is already rolling out in the Highland Park neighborhood of St. Paul, where an expanded and relocated primary care clinic will continue serve the community, in addition to the new residents of St. Paul’s Highland Bridge development. Our primary care clinics in Midway and Rice Street also offer a wide array of care options, from cardiology to diabetes care to prenatal appointments.
Finally, clinics and other primary care locations will have longer hours for better patient access and a wider array of advanced primary care services, while growth in our virtual care options means more people can have their healthcare needs met without leaving their homes.
