United Family Medicine Implements Patient-Centered Care Model While Finalizing Evolution to Clinic-Employed Providers
Enhancements to occur with mutual agreement to end leased health care provider and residency program from Allina Health by year’s end
ST. PAUL – 12-9-2020 – United Family Medicine (UFM), a federally-qualified health center (FQHC) in St. Paul dedicated to meeting the health care needs of its community while contributing to the vitality of the region, announced today it is transforming its patient care model by mutually terminating two agreements with Allina Health that had provided UFM with part-time use of Allina’s family medicine residents and physicians. UFM expects that, by the end of this year, it will directly employ a full complement of physicians and other health care providers, a process that is nearly complete.
UFM anticipates no interruption of patient care during this brief transition already underway. Under UFM’s new service model, physicians, advanced practice nurses and other providers will have more time to devote to patient care, whether in person or remotely through telemedicine or telephone consultations. A team-based approach will be responsible for much of this increase in available and high-quality time for patient care. Utilizing care management techniques such as daily staff “huddles” combined with a physician workforce that is more accessible, UFM expects that its patient engagement will become substantially more effective, as much of the pre-visit paperwork will be handled before the health care provider enters the examining room (real or virtual). As a result, patients will be able to see a doctor, dentist or advanced practice nurse sooner than before – the same or next day — after contacting UFM for an appointment.
“Assuming full responsibility for our staffing and operations will optimize our ability to best meet the primary care, behavioral health and dental health needs of the 15,000 patients we serve in and around St. Paul,” said Ann Nyakundi, United Family Medicine CEO. “It will remove barriers and free up resources to deliver the patient-centered care model that our team developed, and our patient-led Board endorses.”
UFM’s transition to a service model of physicians and health care providers who are clinic employees will strengthen oversight of UFM’s Health Center Program Project, consistent with Program guidance and standards issued by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the federal regulatory agency that funds UFM and the country’s approximately 1,400 Health Centers.
Although this action closes one chapter of the UFM/Allina Health relationship, UFM is looking forward to strengthening its relationship with Allina given their common missions, services and shared community.
“Born out of the Civil Rights Movement, the history of the community health center is strong and particularly pertinent for the challenges we currently face in Saint Paul,” Nyakundi said. “Allina has a strong history of community engagement, and our clinic would not exist today without having had that
engagement.”
About United Family Medicine
United Family Medicine, a federally qualified health center in St. Paul, Minnesota, provides high quality primary care, dental services and behavioral health services to all persons regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. As a community health center, we operate as a patient-focused team to support health and well-being, connecting patients with helpful resources for housing, jobs, transportation and more. Mission statement: Excellence in delivering healthcare for all; training the providers of tomorrow. Vision statement: A healthy, vibrant and thriving community. More information is available at
https://unitedfamilymedicine.org/