For more information about the Sanford Children’s Clinics or to discuss the selection criteria and diligence processes in greater detail, please contact Eric Larsen, Director of Sanford Children’s World Clinics by calling (605) 328-6957.
Sanford Health is seeking domestic and international locations for five new Sanford Children’s Clinics. This initiative has been designed to provide general pediatric care in areas where it has otherwise been an unmet need.
These facilities will include 7,000 – 11,000 square feet for four to seven full-time general pediatricians. Services will include everything from urgent/emergent care to normal well-baby checkups as well as connectivity to Sanford’s docZ electronic medical record system and basic radiology and laboratory services. In seeking partner organizations with which to procure the donation of land, Sanford will work collaboratively to assist in the retention and greater draw of patient populations by applying its world-class patient care model and physician-centric operations. These operations will then reciprocate benefits to the partner organizations via referrals for advanced care and ancillary services.
The first facility recently opened in Duncan, Oklahoma, the first international site is in Belize City, Belize and the location for the third project will be announced in the near future.
Site Selection Criteria
To ensure the Sanford Children’s Clinics are established where there is both a need and assurance of continued success, a specific set of criteria will drive the selection process.
- Relationship with existing healthcare providers including sub specialists
- Demonstrated community need
- The donation of land, approximately 3-5 acres
- Ability to recruit physicians and support staff
The criteria can be further summarized as:
- Community Need – Demonstrated need for pediatric services in terms of access to general or specialty pediatric services
- Community Support – Explicit support of the project by the key stakeholders in the community and the community resources that can be dedicated to the project
- Support of the current healthcare providers
- Regulatory and third-party payer environment: eg. Managed care, Medicaid, State or City Health Departments
- Long-term financial and clinical viability
Clinic Model
There are few limitations on the types of organizations with which Sanford Health will partner. While it is not an exhaustive list, Sanford Health has entered discussions with hospitals, clinics, community coalitions, community health centers, etc. While there will likely be a partnership agreement developed between the sponsoring organization in each community and Sanford Health, Sanford Health expects to retain ownership of the operations and employment of the staff of the clinic to ensure high-quality, effective and efficient functioning.
The investment in each clinic will vary based upon its location and size, but each Sanford Children’s Clinic will be structured to grow to meet the community’s demand. The clinic in each city will support the acute and chronic healthcare needs of children and their families in an accessible outpatient setting. These facilities will include appropriate space and equipment to support a busy outpatient practice seeing patients from the whole range of socioeconomic circumstances. One of the ways in which the new Sanford Children’s Clinics will be sustainable and affordable is by drawing upon the extensive support services of Sanford Health. The clinics will be fully integrated with the clinical and administrative services of Sanford Children’s Hospital and Sanford Clinic.
Clinically, Sanford Children’s Hospital and Sanford Clinic in Sioux Falls will serve as a resource for clinical protocols, quality monitoring, quality improvement and staff training. Administratively, the comprehensive services of Sanford Clinic will be available to support the needs of the Sanford Children’s Clinics. Pediatric clinics have almost all of the practice expenses of other specialties but typically with a lower revenue base. Being able to access a base of practice management services will significantly improve operating efficiency. The shared administrative services of the clinics include: billing, accounting, physician recruitment, human resources, managed care contracting, provider enrollment and information technology. The implementation of docZ, a clinical information system, will allow one electronic medical record for a patient, accessible anywhere in Sanford Health.
Buildings and building design can have a large impact on patient acceptance and practice efficiency. The current preference is for Sanford Health to build a new facility in each location based upon the standard clinic building and layout that is modified to meet the building codes and needs of each location. While new construction is the preferred option, other options that will be explored, based on the situation, will be the purchase and remodeling of an existing facility, a lease of an existing building or partnering with another organization that has a facility. In any case, the Sanford Children’s Clinic will be located in an area of high visibility and easy access.
For more information about the Sanford Children’s Clinics or to discuss the selection criteria and diligence processes in greater detail, please contact Eric Larsen, Director of Sanford Children’s World Clinics by calling (605) 328-6957. |
