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| Contact: Tom Hayes (612) 873-3337 |
07/10/06 |
Former state health commissioner, foundation president appointed to board
The first hospital board of Hennepin Healthcare System, Inc., the county subsidiary corporation that will operate Hennepin County Medical Center starting next year, includes ten citizens with extensive experience in health care, business, urban community development, workforce development, and philanthropy.
The Hennepin County Board today appointed former Minnesota Commissioner of Health and current Courage Center CEO Jan Malcolm; past Minneapolis Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton; retired Allina Chief Financial Officer David Jones*; Dean of the College of Business at the University of St. Thomas Christopher P. Puto, Ph.D.; Bush Foundation President Anita M. Pampusch; President of the Minnesota AFL-CIO Ray Waldron; Bloomington City Manager Mark Bernhardson; retired President of the Minnesota Medical Association Judith F. Shank, M.D.; President and Executive Director of the Powderhorn/Phillips Cultural Wellness Center Atum Azzahir; and Chairman and CEO of Hennepin Faculty Associates Donald Jacobs, MD to the new board.
"These are stellar individuals who bring an impressive mix of experience, knowledge, advocacy, and outstanding reputations to the work of leading this nationally recognized medical center," said County Board Chair Randy Johnson. "They will represent the public's interest as they lead Hennepin County Medical Center into its 120th year of providing health care to the people of this county and this region."
Commissioners Randy Johnson and Mike Opat will also serve on the new board, along with medical center Administrator Lynn Abrahamsen. Bernhardson was named chair of the first board.
The transition happens January 1, 2007, when Hennepin Healthcare System, Inc. begins operating as a subsidiary corporation of the county, with significant operational responsibilities transferring from the county board to the new hospital board. The Minnesota Legislature approved a bill in 2005 to create the public subsidiary corporation to manage the hospital and clinic system. The original plan was created in 2003 by a 14-member citizens task force and refined in 2004 by a smaller citizens committee. The medical center will remain a public hospital and the county board will retain final and ultimate policy control, including approval of the budget and oversight of the safety net mission.
"This is not the first governance change in the history of the hospital," said Johnson. "Past transitions helped the medical center adjust to the economic reality of the times, which is why it is still here to fulfill its historic mission today."
Public hospitals across the country face increasingly troubling economic conditions. State and federal reimbursement to Hennepin County Medical Center was reduced approximately $75 million from 1997 to 2005. Nationally, public hospitals have been moving away from direct operation by state and local government to achieve more operational autonomy and flexibility. Sixty percent of the members of the National Association of Public Hospitals are no longer directly operated by state or local government.
As an essential teaching hospital and key partner with the University of Minnesota Medical School, the medical center has participated in the training of thousands of physicians who today practice in Minnesota and across the country. It is the largest safety net hospital in the state, a leader in medical emergency preparedness for the region, and a major employer and economic engine in the growing east downtown neighborhood in Minneapolis.
This year, Hennepin is continuing installation of a fully electronic health record system, a $68 million capital investment. Significant renovations under way on the downtown campus include doubling the size of the acute psychiatric services emergency center, the only such facility in Minnesota, and relocation and expansion of the urgent care center, scheduled to open at the end of the year.
Hennepin County Medical Center is the largest Level 1 Trauma Center in Minnesota and includes a 422-bed acute care hospital and primary care and specialty clinics located in downtown Minneapolis, and three primary care clinics in Minneapolis, Richfield, and Brooklyn Center.
Hennepin Healthcare System, Inc. Board of Directors
Atum Azzahir, President and Executive Director, Powderhorn/Phillips Cultural Wellness Center
Mark Bernhardson, City Manager, City of Bloomington
Donald Jacobs, MD, Chairman and CEO, Hennepin Faculty Associates
David B. M. Jones, retired Chief Financial Officer, Allina Hospital and Clinics
Jan Malcolm, Courage Center CEO, former Minnesota Commissioner of Health
Anita M. Pampusch,, President, Bush Foundation
Christopher P. Puto, Ph.D., Dean of the College of Business, University of St. Thomas
Sharon Sayles Belton,, Humphrey Institute of Public Policy, GMAC-RFC, former Minneapolis Mayor
Judith F. Shank, M.D., retired president of the Minnesota Medical Association
Ray Waldron,, President, Minnesota AFL-CIO
Mike Opat, Hennepin County Board
Randy Johnson, Hennepin County Board
Lynn Abrahamsen, administrator, Hennepin County Medical Center
*News release updated to reflect 6/20 appointment of Jones to replace David Ebel, who was initially appointed but later declined due to an outside commitment.
Governance Timeline
1887 Minneapolis City Hospital opens.
1920 Renamed Minneapolis General Hospital and placed under the management of the Minneapolis Public Welfare Board.
1963 Operations transferred to Hennepin County.
1964 Renamed Hennepin County General Hospital.
1969 County voters pass a bond issue of $25 million for new
hospital.
1974 Name changed to Hennepin County Medical Center.
1976 Moved to a new location on Park Avenue.
1984 Physicians form Hennepin Faculty Associates practice plan.
1991 Purchases the Metropolitan-Mount Sinai Medical Center facilities, which closed due to declining admissions and inadequate reimbursement.
2002 Begins joint strategic planning with Hennepin Faculty Associates in response to significant public program funding changes.
2003 Citizen Governance Task Force recommends changing governance to County
Board.
2004 Governance Transition Committee appointed to develop a organizational
structure. County Board approves plan to create a Public Benefit Corporation.
2005 Legislature approves and Governor Pawlenty signs bill creating Hennepin Healthcare System, Inc., a public subsidiary corporation of Hennepin County.
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