Caleb Cooke’s Content
Comments by Group Members: Joe Mehlhaff
Mission Statement:
Avera’s official mission statement is:
“to make a positive impact in the lives and health of persons and communities by providing
quality services guided by Christian values”
Background:
We are a health ministry rooted in the Gospel and guided by the Christian values of
compassion, hospitality and stewardship. I specifically work in the laboratory as a site
supervisor for one of Avera’s locations and am part of a transition that will take place
regarding testing methods. Currently, the vision for the laboratories across Avera is
standardization of testing methods and platforms across each lab. Previously, each lab had
the freedom to chose their own vendors and brands, meaning each lab had different reference
ranges (normal ranges) established for testing performed(what was normal in Yankton may
not be the exact same as what was normal in Sioux Falls). Standardizing has driven down
costs and most importantly provided improved quality in patient care when it comes to lab
results.
Current Issue/Plan topic:
Avera is working on it’s next standardization in the roll out of new instruments that will
standardize testing for Influenza A&B, Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and Group A Strep
(The strep test). Current, rapid kit testing is antigen based and the CDC has been concerned
over their accuracy with higher instances of false negatives values being obtained. Avera is
rolling out a new molecular (DNA-based testing) method that will improve the accuracy and
decrease the instances of false negatives (close to 99% accurate).
Growth Strategies:
The primary growth strategy will be product improvements/new products for the same
market. Because we currently run testing for these tests on antigen based method, moving to
the molecular based method will be an improvement to the providers and their patients when
they receive the lab results. I also consider this a new product in that it is a technological
upgrade in how we are performing testing and is “new”.
Another growth opportunity would be increased product usage. With the accuracy concerns
of the traditional antigen based methods in the past, some providers would not even test their
patients. With the new molecular methods, provider confidence in the accuracy of the test can
be re–established and the test ordered more frequently. I say this lightly, however, because of
ethical concerns that come into play. With healthcare, lab testing is not meant to drive up
revenues for the clinics and hospitals. Providers have guidelines of when to order certain tests
and we are very much a service entity in providing them with answers of their patient’s
conditions. With increased accuracy, providers will be more willing to test patients for these
illnesses when the conditions for testing are warranted.
Objective:
While we never want people to come down with illnesses, the goal is that people chose us
when they do become ill. Quick/acute/urgent cares are a growing business these days and are
the ones who run this type of testing most often.
-One of our objectives would be for Avera to see an increased market share (I’ll say 2-3%)in
our acute care visits over the next flu season (October-April) for individuals presenting with
symptoms related to these illnesses.
Another objective would be:
-See an increase in “warranted” utilization of the testing.
This is will largely depend on how bad the flu season is this year as it varies from year to
year.
Emma McCarty
Comments by Group Members: Joe Mehlhaff and Caleb Cooke
Avera’s Missionis “to make a positive impact in the lives and health of persons and
communities by providing quality services guided by Christian values.”
About Avera:
Avera is guided by Gospel values of compassion, hospitality and stewardship. Avera is a health
ministry serving South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska and North Dakota with 33 hospitals,
208 primary and specialty care clinics, 40 senior living facilities in addition to home care and
hospice, sports and wellness facilities, home medical equipment outlets and more. Avera serves a
population of nearly 1 million throughout their geographical footprint of 72,000 square miles.
Avera is home to innovative programs such as the worlds most robust telemedicine program of
its kind-Avera eCare. Avera eCARE services rural health care, reaching out through interactive
video and sophisticated computer monitoring equipment to 263 hospitals, clinics, long-term care
centers, correctional facilities, and schools within 12 states.
Growth Strategies:
1. Market Penetration
a. Avera wants to be the hospital to beat. Avera is constantly going head to head with
