Allina News

[Eden Prairie News, Jan. 29, 2010] More couples are turning to natural family planning as a way to achieve or postpone a pregnancy. Whether for religious, health or environmental reasons, these couples are shying away from contraceptives and having the family they always wanted. Dr. Frani Knowles, a family medical physician at New Ulm Medical [...]

[MinnPost, Jan. 29, 2010] Earlier this week, the Minnesota Department of Health announced that the number of people with newly diagnosed HIV in 2009 had increased by 13 percent, marking a 17-year high. The increase was driven primarily by an uptick in the number of cases involving males 15 to 24 years old, 88 percent [...]

[WCCO-TV, Jan. 21, 2010] A Minnesota mother is sharing her story of survival and her one big regret after she was in a terrible motorcycle crash. Last fall, Dayna Halbert was thrown off her motorcycle and into the truck that t-boned her in an Owatonna intersection. The other driver was going 60 mph, she said. [...]

[Shakopee Valley News, Jan. 28, 2010] St. Francis Regional Medical Center in Shakopee has been designated as a Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) Blue Distinction Center for knee and hip replacement. Blue Distinction recognizes medical facilities nationally that have demonstrated a commitment to providing quality care, resulting in better outcomes for patients. The [...]

[Star Tribune, Jan. 29, 2010] If a final health bill passes—and that’s a big if—it’s likely to include a payment formula that would reward efficient, high-quality providers. Leading a coalition of hospitals from the Midwest and Pacific Northwest, Mayo Clinic proposed a radical new payment formula, called a “value index.” Instead of paying the same [...]

[The Pine City Pioneer; Kanabec County Times, Jan. 20, 2010] Randy Ulseth, chief executive officer of Kanabec Hospital in Mora, Minnesota, discusses starting negotiations with Allina Medical Clinic which could result in Kanabec Hospital purchasing the Allina Medical Clinic locations in Pine City, Mora and Hinckley. Read the full story on pinecitymn.com. Read the full [...]

[Isanti County News, Jan. 27, 2010] Expecting parents Jen Amys and Micah Overman of Isanti, Minnesota, were set to have labor induced at around 6 a.m. on Jan. 12. However, their baby had a different idea in mind. Around midnight, Amys’ water broke. She shouted to Overman, who headed outside to get the van warmed [...]

[Isanti County News, Jan. 27, 2010] The Reach Out and Read Program at the Cambridge Medical Center promotes literacy as a regular part of pediatric care so that every child grows up with books and a love of reading. Local quilters Karin Barfknecht and Penni Hergert donated their talent to make a quilt to raffle [...]

[Allina Newsroom, Jan. 27, 2010] The City of Apple Valley is now officially a Heart Safe Community. The designation was marked at a celebration on January 20, 2010. The City of Apple Valley is only the second Minnesota community to receive this recognition. The award was presented by Allina Hospitals and Clinics to city officials. [...]

[WCCO Radio, Jan. 27, 2010] Dr. Scott Koehler is heading to the Vancouver Winter Olympics in a few days, not as an athlete, but to take care of the athletes. Dr. Koehler, a sports medicine physician with Allina Medical Clinic-Northfield, has been working with elite world-class athletes for more than ten years, and he will [...]

[Allina Newsroom, Jan. 27,2010] Six Allina Hospitals & Clinics hospitals have been designated as Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) Blue Distinction Centers. Blue Distinction recognizes medical facilities that have demonstrated expertise in delivering quality healthcare in the areas of bariatric surgery, cardiac care, complex and rare cancers, knee and hip replacement, spine surgery [...]

[Pioneer Press, Jan. 24, 2010] There’s a chill in the air for the once-hot retail health clinic industry as growth has stalled following a boom. As the retail clinic business has matured over the past two years, operators that once threatened to undermine the delivery of health care in the U.S. increasingly are finding the [...]

[Start Tribune, Jan. 24, 2010] Most Minnesotans can probably relate to the winter morning thought, “I don’t want to get up; I just want to stay snuggled in my warm, cozy bed!” But for people with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), getting out of bed — and all the routines and responsibilities that follow — can [...]

[Star Tribune, Jan. 22, 2010] The testimony of children treated by Sister Kenny has inspired a new play, “Sister Kenny,” at the History Theatre. It tells the story of the pioneering physical therapist who established a clinic in Minneapolis, now called the Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Institute that is part of Allina Hospitals & Clinics, for [...]

[KSTP-TV, Jan. 20, 2010] Minnesotans are showing just how generous they are when it comes to the Haiti relief effort. The Minneapolis-based American Refugee Committee has collected supplies and donations from several Minnesota companies. Allina donated medical supplies. The Mosaic Company, Mortenson Construction and other local businesses have also given money, food and tents. Watch [...]

[West Central Tribune, Jan. 21, 2010] It was a major change for chemotherapy patients when the Willmar Regional Cancer Center opened last month. Instead of going to Affiliated Community Medical Centers, patients are now being treated by their oncologist at the newly integrated center at Rice Memorial Hospital. The change has been “pretty dramatic,” said [...]

[Minnesota Public Radio-Midmorning , Jan. 15, 2010] Dr. Jay Traverse, a cardiologist at Allina’s Minneapolis Heart Institute, and two other specialists on stem cells and heart research, talk about new ways to repair hearts and prevent future heart problems in this episode of Minnesota Public Radio’s Midmorning program. Listen to Dr. Traverse below or the [...]

[Minnesota Public Radio-Midday, Jan. 18, 2010] On Minnesota Public Radio’s Midday program, U.S. Senator Al Franken fielded questions on a wide range topics including several on health care. During the program he cited Allina’s Heart of New Ulm program as an example of preventive health care that will improve health and save money. Listen to [...]

[River Falls (Wisc.) Journal, Jan. 18, 2010] River Falls Area Hospital Foundation has released a request for proposals from local programs that improve access to health care. Grant requests from $500-$25,000 will be considered. To be eligible for funding, applicants must provide or plan to provide services that improve access to health services for residents [...]

[Star Tribune, Jan. 15, 2010] Patty Nelson’s phone started ringing at 7 a.m. Thursday. It hasn’t stopped since. On the second day of her effort to get medical supplies to Haiti from her kitchen table in Aitkin, Minn., she kept getting more offers of help for the tens of thousands of victims of the catastrophic [...]

[Owatonna People's Press, Jan. 15, 2010] Adverse health events increased at Owatonna Hospital in 2009, according to a report released Thursday by the Minnesota Department of Health. The report, which provides information on 28 adverse health events that fall in different categories under the health events reporting law, cites two adverse health events stemming from [...]

[Isanti County News, Jan. 15, 2010] Over the past several weeks, Cambridge Medical Center has been preparing for a new telephone system that will ‘go live’ at 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 15. The state-of-the-art phone system will allow ‘real time reporting,’ which will help improve call flows and allow calls to be handled faster. Read [...]

[Isanti County News, Jan. 6, 2010] These are just a few of the inspirational messages imprinted on pink breast cancer bracelets donated to the Community Harbor Cancer Resource Center by a 10-year-old Cambridge girl. Jennie Meyer, a fifth-grader at Cambridge Intermediate School and the daughter of Jodi Meyer of Cambridge, recently donated some pink breast [...]

[Shakopee Valley News, Jan. 14, 2010] The number of adverse events in Minnesota hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers and community behavioral health hospitals decreased from 312 to 301 in 2009, according to a report released today by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). The sixth annual adverse health events report summarizes the number and types of [...]

[Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, Jan. 6, 2010] Allina Hospitals & Clinics is searching for a replacement for Rickie Ressler, the president of Unity Hospital in Fridley. Ressler is retiring early next year. She’s spent more than 40 years as a caregiver and administrator for Allina, which is Unity’s hospital system. Read the full story at [...]