HealthPartners to open new Minnesota clinic

HealthPartners (Minneapolis) said that it will open a new 5,000 square foot clinic at 7500 80th Street south in Cottage Grove, Minnesota in early 2010.

"Our Cottage Grove Clinic will build upon the success of our Inver Grove Heights and Woodbury clinics which already serve the south east metro." said Brian Rank, MD, medical director of the HealthPartners Medical Group.

Rank said the Cottage Grove clinic will be staffed by a combination of doctors, physician assistants and nurse practitioners. Like all HealthPartners primary care clinics, the Cottage Grove clinic will offer on-site lab and x-ray services. Plans also include the option to expand clinic space at a later date.

The HealthPartners family of health care companies serves 1.25 million medical and dental health plan members.

Indiana applys for HIT funding

The State of Indiana under Governor Mitch Daniels' leadership, and Indiana's five independent health information exchanges and four state organizations, spearheaded by BioCrossroads (Indianapolis), submitted an application to receive federal stimulus funding for a statewide health information technology (HIT) program. If awarded, several million dollars in funding would be provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's Cooperative Agreement Program (CAP) which will be used to further enhance the quality and reach of the State of Indiana's HIT delivery system.

The four-year grant would not only assist in advancing Indiana's position as a leader in sustainable, secure, standards-based health information exchange (HIE), which securely sends clinical test results, reports and other medical information, but would also improve the quality, safety, and efficiency of patient care statewide. If awarded the CAP funding, the State of Indiana will further develop a state governance structure to continue encouraging collaboration among health information exchanges, the state, and regional extension centers.

BioCrossroads is Indiana's initiative to grow, advance and invest in the life sciences, a public-private collaboration that supports the region's existing research and corporate strengths while encouraging new business development.