Building a bold, shared solution for healthcare in Minnesota

Dear students, faculty and staff,

Last month, the University of Minnesota and Essentia Health came together to announce a bold, new path forward for the future of healthcare in our state.

This newly proposed vision has been well received across Minnesota. I also recognize our announcement generated important questions around how this new vision would affect patients, providers and our University.

Today, I am writing to provide updates on our shared vision for an integrated health model — one that reinvests in research and education, rural healthcare and increases access to essential healthcare services across Minnesota.

Leaders from across the University and Essentia continue to engage in productive conversations toward helping Minnesota overcome its most pressing healthcare challenges, while identifying opportunities to best serve the needs of patients and providers across our state.

Above all else, this vision prioritizes patients and providers. In fact, it is intentionally designed to sustain existing patient and caregiver relationships, making it easier for patients and providers to reduce logistical hurdles, increase access and innovation, and effectively allocate resources to improve health in one of the most geographically expansive healthcare entities in the state.

But why now?

Like other states across the country, Minnesota faces critical healthcare challenges. The Governor’s Task Force convened last year, and input from stakeholders across the state all point toward the need for a bold new path forward — the status quo is not sustainable for healthcare in our state or our system. As one of America’s leading public research universities, it is our duty to find solutions to the greatest challenges surrounding health and healthcare delivery.

There is urgency for us to forge a new path forward. The University’s existing agreements with Fairview Health Services expire at the end of 2026. The status quo of our partnership is no longer possible, and the state and our patients need a path forward in which the Medical School can thrive in its land-grant mission.

We have been striving to be in constructive conversation with Fairview, our longtime partner. While you likely heard the news that Fairview has stated it is not interested in extending its existing relationship, the University and Essentia continue to believe there is opportunity to build a bold, shared solution for Minnesota healthcare that best meets the needs of patients and our state.

We believe the time is now for a new model that will provide more comprehensive care delivered closer to home, where patients need it the most — especially in rural and Tribal communities that have fewer local healthcare options. We owe it to our patients, physicians and all of our caregivers to find a new solution. Our focus is on transformational change and our responsibilities to serve Minnesotans and their health — not a structure or contract focused on buildings and faceless transactions.

We will remain steadfast in our commitment to create a seamless system of care — one that maximizes the benefits of the University’s teaching, training and research to expand the reach of our service across Minnesota. This includes care, clinical trials, research innovation, and the necessary training of the physicians and other professional health professionals that all Minnesotans need.

Central to our shared vision: a bold course for the future in which the University continues to provide high-quality, accessible care for patients, while supporting health professionals across our organizations so they may do what they do best, care for patients.

To help answer your questions and provide more timely updates, I encourage you to visit our website for detailed information about this newly proposed vision for healthcare. The website also includes our latest proposal to Fairview.

We will provide more updates once they are available, but until then, thank you for all you do each day to build a brighter, healthier future for Minnesota.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Cunningham
President