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To Our Patients,
The physicians of St. Paul Heart Clinic would like to inform you of upcoming changes involving our practice, effective January 1, 2011.
Allina Health System and HealthEast Care System will each incorporate a part of St. Paul Heart Clinic. This integration business model means that your cardiologist will be directly employed by one of these two non-profit health care systems. While the name “St. Paul Heart Clinic” will cease to exist, it’s important to remember that we will stay in your community and continue to meet our patients’ needs.
We are confident that our decision to integrate with Allina and HealthEast will be the beginning of an exciting new era of delivering cardiovascular care. As physicians, we can further our efforts toward developing innovative care models, enhancing service offerings and achieving superior clinical outcomes. Under the new arrangement, hospitals and your cardiologist now can effectively implement a common electronic medical record. This helps support your care goals.
St. Paul Heart Clinic is the last large independent cardiology group in the Twin Cities to integrate with a hospital system. Nationwide, some 70 percent of similar cardiology groups have integrated or are in discussions to integrate. The reasons for this trend are directly related to the economic and political changes occurring at the Federal level over the past three years. These ongoing changes dictate that we consider new care delivery models if we are to continue to serve you.
The focus of cardiovascular care is shifting from an inpatient setting to an outpatient setting. The emphasis is increasingly on chronic disease management, prevention, improving and documenting quality, and patient safety. Hospitals are also facing fundamental changes in how care is provided and reimbursed.
We anticipate no changes to the service offerings we provide at our St. Paul and Maplewood offices, Lakeview Heart Center in Stillwater or outreach locations (Apple Valley, Baldwin, Farmington, Forest Lake, Hastings, River Falls and Somerset). Your medical record will continue to be maintained by St. Paul Heart Clinic until January 2011.
Your cardiologist will then have access to your St. Paul Heart Clinic medical record at either the Allina (United Hospital) or HealthEast Hospitals (St. Joseph’s, St. John’s and Woodwinds) outpatient clinic settings. It is important to us that you know we will support and respect your decision to choose who will provide your care and where it will be provided.
Our agreements with Allina and HealthEast have just recently been completed. If you have questions or need additional information immediately, please call our dedicated help line telephone number (651-726-2750). Knowledgeable staff will be available daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to assist you.
We are privileged to be your cardiologists and appreciate the opportunity to participate in your care.
Sincerely,
The Physicians of St. Paul Heart Clinic
| Physicians joining Allina Health System |
Physicians joining HealthEast Care System |
| Alan Bank M.D. |
Stuart Adler, M.D. |
| Kenneth Baran, M.D. |
Steven Benton, M.D. |
| Margaret Beahrs, M.D. |
Charles Cliffe, M.D. |
| Richard Brody, M.D. |
David Dunbar, M.D. |
| Akbar Khan, M.D. |
Michael Garr, M.D. |
| Spencer Kubo, M.D. |
Gregory Granrud, M.D. |
| Brian Mahoney, M.D. |
Dennis Halbe, M.D. |
| Benjamin McKinley, M.D. |
Thomas Johnson, M.D. |
| Sara Murray, M.D. |
Patrick Koller, M.D. |
| Thomas Nobrega, M.D. |
Franz Reisdorf, M.D. |
| Jeffrey Olson, M.D. |
Thomas Wiberg, M.D. |
| Michale Peterson, M.D. |
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| Kamalesh Pillai, M.D. |
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| Tarang Ray, M.D. |
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| Peter Rusterholz, M.D. |
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| Nazifa Sajady, M.D. |
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| Salima Shafi, M.D. |
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| Victor Tschida, M.D. |
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| R. Dent Underwood, M.D. |
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| Pierce Vatterott, M.D. |
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