HealthPartners has created a new clinic designed to help patients avoid costly emergency department visits and hospital admissions. The HealthPartners Advanced Care Primary Care (ACPC) Clinic coordinates care for patients with complex needs at risk of needing a hospital visit.

Early results are promising. The clinic is keeping patients healthier and reducing their need for hospital emergency care, admissions and readmissions. So far, the clinic has seen a 60% reduction in avoidable ED visits from patients who went the most last year.

“At HealthPartners, we believe health care should be simple, affordable and focused on helping people live their healthiest lives,” said HealthPartners CEO Andrea Walsh. “Advanced Care Primary Care is one of the ways we’re doing that – delivering a value-based care solution where quality, affordability and experience come together to make a meaningful difference for those we serve.”

How it works

The ACPC Clinic model is designed for patients with complex health needs. It brings together a team of experts from many specialties to support the patient’s entire care journey.

Each day, the care team meets to review recent visits and prepare for upcoming ones. If a patient goes to the ED or is hospitalized, the team follows up quickly to understand what happened and provides the right next steps to support the patient.

Patients are referred to the clinic by their primary care clinicians and often have existing health conditions or other factors, such as inadequate social support or food insecurity, that can lead to more serious health issues. Schedulers help patients set up appointments, and clinic-support teams resolve any issues that may prevent a visit. Video visits and telephonic support also help ensure easy access to care.

Care is coordinated across settings and may include primary and specialty care, home care, pharmacy, palliative care, care management and coordination, social work and behavioral health. The team closely monitors patients and provides timely follow-up. Enhanced care coordination includes support for transferring patients between care settings. The ACPC team also works with a patient’s health plan care coordinator to ensure they receive all eligible benefits and services.

“Our collaborative team focuses care on the whole person and thinks creatively about how to meet their needs,” ACPC Medical Director Dr. Dan Albright said. “Every connection is a chance to remove a barrier to care and close a gap.”

The clinic is inside the Park Nicollet Clinic and Specialty Center St. Louis Park 3850 Building. Qualifying health plans include HealthPartners Medicare Advantage, HealthPartners Minnesota Senior Health Options (HMO SNP) and Blue Cross Blue Shield commercial plans, as well as patients served through Medicare’s ACO REACH program.