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HealthPartners–an Innovator with a History of Firsts
1957
Creates one of the first prepaid consumer-governed health plans
1963
Establishes one of the first burn units in the nation at Regions Hospital in St. Paul
1964
Pioneers diagnostic peritoneal lavage, a life-saving procedure that detects internal abdominal bleeding and becomes a standard for emergency-rooms worldwide
1968
Introduces the first prepaid dental plan in Minnesota to offer affordable access to dental services
1972
Offers preventive dental services as part of its medical coverage
Develops a pediatric nurse-practitioner training program with the University of Minnesota
1974
Creates one of the first certified nurse-midwife programs in the Twin Cities
1975
Creates a nurse phone line offering advice and support to members on nights and weekends
Invents a clear plastic mask at Regions Hospital Burn Center that significantly reduces facial scarring from burns
Establishes a loaner program for infant car seats to encourage their use
1977
Becomes one of the first in the country to research, promote and provide benefits for dental sealants
Reaches 100,000 membership level
1978
Performs cornea transplants to restore vision in patients who are functionally blind
Introduces a Medicare-certified home health care and home hospice program
1980
Offers first health plan discounts for health and fitness community education classes
Opens HealthPartners Center for International Health, the first clinic in Minnesota dedicated to the care of refugees from Southeast Asia and now serving immigrants from 30 countries
1981
Performs some of the earliest outpatient cataract surgeries in the Twin Cities
1984
Establishes the first preterm birth program in the Midwest, decreasing premature births by 22 percent the first year
1985
Performs some of the first radial keratotomy eye surgeries in Minnesota to correct nearsightedness
Participates in Seniors Plus, a national Medicare pilot project to provide benefits such as long-term care and social services for the elderly
1988
HealthPartners Central Minnesota opens in St. Cloud
1990
Establishes HealthPartners Research Foundation, one of the nations largest research foundations associated with a group practice
1992
Group Health and MedCenters join to become HealthPartners
Sells thousands of bike helmets and gun trigger locks at discounted prices to promote safety
Reaches 500,000 membership level
1993
Cofounder and primary funding provider for the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement, a statewide collaborative to improve health care quality by establishing and promoting best-practice guidelines
Regions Hospital joins HealthPartners family of care
Achieves Level I trauma designation, making Regions Hospital the only east metro hospital equipped to handle the most serious trauma cases 24 hours a day, seven days a week
1994
Launches "Partners for Better Health," one of the first programs to track and measure progress on eight health goals for members such as reducing heart attacks and childhood injury and increasing early detection of breast cancer and diabetes
Publishes research in the New England Journal of Medicine proving the safety and cost effectiveness of flu shots for seniors
Becomes the first health plan in Minnesota to achieve full accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) by meeting rigorous quality standards
1995
Launches phone based health coaching by registered dieticians, health educators, exercise specialists, and pharmacists based on research evidence
Becomes one of the first in the nation to publicly report the quality of health care as part of a pilot project with the NCQA
Introduces Consumer Choice, the nation's first interactive computer program giving consumers detailed information about doctors, clinics, and quality of service
1996
Establishes HealthPartners Institute for Medical Education
Introduces Minnesota's first tiered health plan that identifies which hospitals and doctors deliver the most cost-effective care
1997
Develops one of the first pay-for-performance programs in the nation, which rewards doctors who provide the best care
Becomes first U.S. health plan to create a health cooperative in Uganda
1998
Opens the first centralized pharmacy in Minnesota to fill prescriptions more quickly and safely for HealthPartners Clinic pharmacies
1999
Introduces the 10,000 steps walking program
2000
Becomes the first in the state to make same-day appointments available
2001
Chosen by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Institute for HealthCare Improvement as one of seven in the U.S. an initiative called Pursuing Perfection to transform healthcare to be more patient-centered, safe, timely, efficient, effective and equitable
2002
Creates a health-risk assessment with incentives for health improvement
2003
Introduces remineralization at HealthPartners dental clinics, a process that prevents cavities by restoring damaged tooth enamel
Creates Minnesota's first center for clinical simulation, which educates health professionals by using computerized mannequins and virtual reality
Offers the state's first on-line scheduling service to make clinic appointments
2004
Implements the nation's first policy to not pay for never-events which are 27 medical errors the National Quality Forum says should never occur in hospitals and can be prevented
Introduces Minnesota's first pill-splitting program, cutting patients' out-of-pocket drug costs in half
Co-founder of MN Community Measurement, the first program in the nation that allows consumers to compare the quality of care among medical providers
2005
Opens the first dental clinic in the state designed to meet the special needs of new Americans and low-income patients
Westfields Hospital in New Richmond, Wisconsin joins HealthPartners family of care
2006
Wins the Acclaim Award, the American Medical Group Association's top national award, for excellence in patient care
Named "Great Place to Work" by Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal
Mary Brainerd, president and CEO named "Executive of the Year" by Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.
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