The Benedictine Health System (BHS), Duluth, Minn., one of the country’s largest Catholic senior care organizations, was awarded an e-health connectivity grant for health information exchange by the Minnesota Department of Health. BHS was awarded this grant for their work with partners MDI Achieve and Allina Health to expand health information exchange capabilities among health care providers and other trading partners to support care and public health.

Initially the project will focus on the data exchange of select health care information between Allina Health’s electronic health record system, Epic, and MatrixCare, the electronic health record system for BHS Participating Organizations. At project completion, any MatrixCare client will be able to exchange select health care information with other health care providers that have health care information exchange capabilities, provided they have a peer-to-peer connection or are members of the same health information exchange.

“BHS is pleased to have received this grant and to partner with two organizations who are as equally committed as BHS to the three aims of health care reform: better health, better health care and lower cost,” said Dale Thompson, president and chief executive officer, Benedictine Health System. “We believe the exchange of data will result in benefits to our residents and to the health care system at large.”

“We congratulate BHS on the award of this grant and are honored to be a part of this important project, said John Damgaard, president, MDI Achieve. “Partnership and collaboration between long-term care and acute care will be crucial as we enter the era of accountable care organizations. MatrixCare inter-operability is an essential tool for our providers to gain operational efficiencies and broaden their participation in accountable care organizations and health information exchanges.”

BHS has been a MDI Achieve customer for more than 20 years and the two organizations have worked closely on a number of upgrades and software enhancement projects. BHS, MDI Achieve and other partners collaborated on a grant more than 10 years ago that enabled MDI Achieve to establish one of the first integrations between an EHR and pharmacy systems in the United States.

BHS and Allina Health are also collaborating on the development of a new generation of transitional care that will provide post-acute care patients with a clinically advanced yet soothing environment in which to transition from hospital to home. The first of these next-generation care centers will be a BHS-managed center of the campus of Unity Hospital in Fridley, part of Allina Health. The model and philosophy of these care centers will focus on hospitality, wellness and service delivered in a spa-like environment; these centers will specialize in customized, high-quality, technologically advanced rehabilitation and recovery programs designed to reach optimal levels of individual health and ability.

About Benedictine Health System

The Benedictine Health System is a Catholic non-profit long-term care health system based in Duluth, Minn., sponsored by the Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica Monastery, Duluth. As one of the country’s largest Catholic senior care organizations, BHS has served the health care needs of aging adults for over 26 years in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Missouri and Illinois. Services provided by BHS Participating Organizations include; short-term care and rehabilitation, long-term care, and assisted and independent housing options. Additional information may be found at www.bhshealth.org.

About MDI Achieve

MDI Achieve solutions have powered the long-term care continuum for over 30 years. MatrixCare is the leading, certified, cloud-based EHR solution designed to help long-term care and senior living communities deliver superior care, resulting in better outcomes for their residents. The MatrixCare solution includes product suites to help providers maximize reimbursements, reduce readmissions, maintain high occupancy, facilitate interoperability within ACOs and across the continuum of care, and support executive decision making. MDI Achieve delivers superior service to its clients resulting in better business outcomes for their organizations. Visit www.matrixcare.com for more information.

About Allina Health

Allina Health is dedicated to the prevention and treatment of illness and enhancing the greater health of individuals, families and communities throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin. A not-for-profit health care system, Allina Health cares for patients from beginning to end-of-life through its more than 90 clinics, 11 hospitals, 15 pharmacies, specialty care centers and specialty medical services that provide hospice care, oxygen and home medical equipment, and emergency medical transportation services. Learn more at allinahealth.org.

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