Altru Receives Multiple Recognitions Emphasizing Quality, Patient-Centered Care

Grand Forks, N.D. – Altru Health System was recently recognized for multiple designations, showcasing its ongoing commitment to quality healthcare. These recent recognitions emphasize Altru’s goal to continually keep care delivery focused on the patient.

Patient-Centered Medical Home

Altru Health System is proud to be recognized for the first time as a Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH). Through the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), PCMH’s are care delivery models that ensure comprehensive and continuous medical care with the goal of maximizing quality outcomes. This is done through timely appointments, 24/7 availability, and coordination of care.

Minnesota Community Measures

Several Altru locations have been recognized by Minnesota Community Measures in 2018. These include Altru Clinic in Erskine for consistent improvement in colorectal cancer screening; Altru Clinic in Crookston and Family Medicine for highest performing in optimal diabetes care; and Altru Clinic in Crookston and Internal Medicine for highest performing in optimal vascular care.

Leapfrog Grade of B

Altru Health System has received a Leapfrog score of 3.1498, earning an overall grade of B, an improvement from previous years. Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades are assigned to more than 2,600 hospitals across the nation, twice annually. The score is calculated with multiple factors including patient satisfaction scores, hospitalist staffing, infection rates, hospital conditions, and utilization of electronic records.

“We are pleased to see a continued increase in our Leapfrog score, .01 from an A grade this year,” says Lynnette Huot, Altru’s director of quality and patient safety. “Accomplishments such as these cannot happen without dedicated staff who place their patients at the center of everything they do. These recognitions reflect Altru’s commitment to providing world-class care to the residents of the region.”

Additional Recognitions

Altru has received several other recognitions in 2018 including the Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association Blue Distinction Centers+ for Maternity Care, and Perinatal Care Certification.

About Altru Health System

Altru Health System is a regional-owned, integrated system with an acute care hospital, a specialty hospital, more than a dozen clinics in Grand Forks and the region, and a large home care network. It employs nearly 200 physicians and 4,000 staff and has an annual net operating revenue of more than $549 million. As the first member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, Altru’s providers have access to clinically integrated tools extending Mayo Clinic’s knowledge and expertise to patients.