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Caring. Compassionate. Committed.

It takes courage to move forward during uncertain times. Avera’s commitment to the health and safety of those we serve is stronger than ever. We’re evolving our already high standards of quality and safety as we venture forward in a “new normal.” With compassion and dedication to caring, we can renew our spirits and our communities.

Avera is a regional health system comprised of 315 locations in 100 communities in five states across the Upper Midwest. Avera serves a population of 1 million throughout a geographical footprint of 72,000 square miles.

Avera is the health ministry of the Benedictine Sisters of Yankton, SD, and the Presentation Sisters of Aberdeen, SD.

As a health ministry rooted in the Gospel, Avera’s mission is to make a positive impact in the lives and health of persons and communities by providing quality services guided by Christian values.

Avera seeks to heal the whole person – body, mind and spirit – as we live out our three gospel values of Compassion, Hospitality and Stewardship.

A Message From Our CEO

Bob Sutton Welcome to Avera’s 2020 Annual Report. Thank you for your interest in our health ministry.

Although there were many events and highlights of the past year, 2020 will be remembered for its disruptors. From flooding and tornado damage to the COVID-19 pandemic, things beyond our control interrupted not only our plans but the very core ways in which Avera operates.

I have found myself looking back upon the legacy of our founders, the Benedictine and Presentation Sisters, who were called to Dakota Territory to minister in the 1880s. The Sisters faced their share of challenges – scarcity of resources, times of war, epidemics and economic downturns. In fact, answering the need of diphtheria and influenza epidemics was the very reason why several Avera hospitals were founded.

Today, we are answering the challenges of our time, and COVID-19 will certainly stand out. Not only has this been a time of difficulty and hardship for many, it’s been a time of innovation and heroism.

2020 was the year of the caregiver. Signs saying “heroes work here” placed in front of various Avera locations were certainly true. Our employees display an amazing depth of commitment to the mission of Avera as we live out our Gospel values of hospitality, compassion and stewardship.

This calling is more than an attitude of care and compassion. It’s doing the right thing at the right time for each patient. In a word, this is quality, and our quality at Avera is validated by numerous awards and recognitions.

I am grateful to the senior leadership and Board of Directors who faithfully serve alongside me, as well as all the people and partners who come together to form this great organization known as Avera. Together, we impact many lives for the greater good.

Sincerely,
Bob Sutton, President and CEO

Thank You Health Care Heroes

We are proud of all the heroes who think first of others and put their own lives on the line to serve their neighbors. Jeremy Brech (DJ Jer) of Sioux Falls created this tribute video in honor of Avera health care workers during National Hospital Week May 10-16, 2020. It features vocalist Devin Basart of Sioux Falls and photos of numerous Avera care teams and staff.

MISSION

Charity Care and Community Benefit

Avera’s mission involves making a positive impact upon the communities we serve, often accomplished through providing community benefits.

As a health care ministry, Avera provides care to all who come to us, regardless of their ability to pay.

By the numbers…

Charity care/financial assistance: $23,347,998
Unpaid costs of government programs: $37,324,594
Additional community benefits: $80,506,311

Total: $141,178,903

Examples of Community Benefits

Community health services and screenings
Health professions education
Subsidized services, including Careflight, emergency services, hospice care, behavioral health services, and more
Research
Financial and in-kind contributions
Community-building activities

Addiction Care

Avera’s mission calls us to minister to the whole person – body, mind and spirit. Addiction is an epidemic of our times impacting 10 to 15% of the general population as well as their loved ones.

During its first year of operation, the Avera Addiction Care Center in Sioux Falls, SD, has impacted the lives of numerous individuals and their families. This voluntary residential treatment center uses a variety of evidence-based, individualized approaches, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing. Programming includes a robust family component.

The two-building, 20,000-square foot complex is comprised of a residential building with 32 private rooms, and a main building for treatment and programming. A fitness center, centering room, meditation room and business center are on site, with outdoor gathering spaces complete with fire pits and walking paths. Donors gave over $1 million to support this $8 million project.

“Everything from the daily programming, to the furnishings, to the smells, sounds and tastes, was planned with three value statements in mind: Respect, confidence and hope. The center is a serene, beautiful environment that upholds the dignity of each individual,” said Thomas Otten, Assistant Vice President for Avera Behavioral Health Services.

“Avera is the regional leader in behavioral health services. Offering world-class residential care to those who are struggling with addiction is an important aspect of our continuum of care,” said David Flicek, President and CEO of Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center.

woman making delivery to couple wearing masks

Community Partnerships

Avera’s mission to make a positive impact in the lives and health of persons and communities is a very broad, all-encompassing goal. While Avera makes a positive impact in terms of health and healing of the body, mind and spirit, there are aspects of our lives that go beyond health care: Our need for healthy food, clean water and decent housing. Our need for personal safety and the safety of our families. Our need for education. Our need for meaningful work. Our need for cultural expression and the arts.

And so Avera partners with more than 400 organizations that align with our mission and help us expand and enhance this mission beyond our facilities.

Examples:

Avera partners with transportation partners such as River Cities Public Transit, Aberdeen Ride Line, Charis Ministries (Project CAR) and Volunteer Service Bank to provide rides for people that have appointments for medical care, mental health counseling or other health care needs.
Especially in light of the needs brought on by the COVID-19 crisis, Avera is focusing on supporting non-profit organizations that support basic human needs such as food, shelter and clothing.
Avera collaborated with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation to present “The Many Faces of Addiction: Hope and Healing,” a two-day conference attended by over 500.

GROWTH

Avera Continuum of Care

200 Primary and Specialty Clinics

60+ medical specialties
1,160 physicians and advanced practice providers

37 Hospitals

Tertiary hospital: Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center
35 Community and Critical Access Hospitals
1,627 beds

40 Senior Living,
Assisted Living,
AND Long-Term
Care Locations

1,849 long-term care and assisted living beds
247 apartments

Home Care & Hospice And Home Medical Equipment

25 locations
968 average patient census

Telemedicine

550 sites in 32 states

Avera Health Insurance

Avera Health Plans and DAKOTACARE
Covering 131,000 lives

ALSO: Occupational Health | Therapy Locations | Sports Medicine and Fitness Center | Medical Research and Clinical Trials

2020 By the Numbers

315 Locations

100+Communities

5 States

72,000 Square Mile Footprint

19,700 Employees

2,540 Volunteers

1,160 Physicians and Advanced Practice Providers

Inpatient Discharges: 39,646
Outpatient Discharges: 967,970
Number of Clinic Visits: 1,700,672
Total Patient Visits: 2,708,288

exeterior photo of avera on louise campus

Bricks and Mortar

List of top projects underway or completed in 2020

Avera on Louise Health Campus, Sioux Falls, SD (Avera Specialty Hospital, Avera Addiction Care Center and Avera Human Performance Center): $133 million
Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center surgery remodel, Sioux Falls, SD: $19 million
Avera Missouri River Health Center, Gettysburg, SD: $12 million
Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center additional beds, Sioux Falls, SD: $7.8 million

Avera Behavioral Health Center tornado damage, Sioux Falls, SD: $8 million
Lakes Regional Family Medicine clinic, Spirit Lake, IA: $8 million
Avera Marshall Regional Medical Center Emergency Department, Marshall, MN: $6 million
Avera Medical Group Windom clinic, Windom, MN: $5.4 million
Avera Central Office tornado damage, Sioux Falls, SD: $4 million
Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center biplane room, Sioux Falls, SD: $2 million

QUALITY

At Avera, we’re passionate about quality. Avera participates in systematic performance improvements that align with the National Strategy for Quality Improvement in Health Care priorities and goals.

Our Quality Plan aligns with the mission and vision of Avera, and considers the impact of the organization’s strategic and long-term goals.

Orthopedics Care for Every Body

How you move matters. Avera Orthopedics helps you move freely and live life to the fullest, with innovative treatment options customized to your bone, muscle and joint needs. Whether you suffer from aches, breaks, tears or dislocations, turn to the orthopedic team experienced with treating every body.

Avera Service Lines

Through Avera’s Service Line concept, physicians from across the system collaborate to identify best practices that result in consistent care, which in turn builds quality and reduces cost.

Stronger relationships between physicians, within and across specialties, result in better transitions of care, improving outcomes and creating a better care experience for patients.

Avera@Home COVID-19 Care

Very quickly after the first COVID-19 cases were diagnosed in our region, Avera began setting up new care pathways. This included the Care Transitions COVID-19 program through Avera@Home, which served nearly 350 patients in 50 communities.

COVID-19 patients were assessed for equipment needs at the time of referral to the program or discharge from the hospital. Nurse calls and video chats helped patients deal with anxiety and manage symptoms.

Of the 346 patients seen during the time frame of April 1 to June 10, only 17 were admitted to the hospital – a hospitalization rate of 4.9%.

New Normal Toolkits

After the first months of the COVID-19 crisis of 2020, people began re-engaging in daily routines and seeking to find a new normal. At the same time, we continued living in a world with COVID, and risk of transmission of the virus continues to exist.

Avera developed new normal toolkits in sharable PDF form – one for patients and one for business leaders – to provide guidance on how to navigate this new normal while mitigating risk.

The guidance follows best practices as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and reduces the risk of COVID-19 but cannot eliminate it. Toolkits can be downloaded at Avera.org/covid-19.

Enhanced Surgical Recovery

Avera’s General Surgery Service Line has developed an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) plan of care designed to improve outcomes after a surgical procedure and to help patients recover faster.

Goals include:

Keeping pain level under control
Walking and moving as soon after surgery as possible
Eating and drinking as soon as safely possible
Explaining the patient’s plan of care and answering questions
Decreasing the length of the patient’s hospital stay

Key elements of ERAS protocols include preoperative counseling, optimization of nutrition, and standardized regimens for pain control and anesthetic.

ERAS was introduced for colon resection procedures in Aberdeen and Sioux Falls and was shown to decrease average inpatient stay by 2.7 days per procedure. Another benefit is decreased exposure to opioids.

National Recognition

Top care and top quality: that’s what people can expect from Avera, and our quality is verified by national recognition. In 2019, Avera was named among the nation’s 15 Top Health Systems by IBM Watson Health.

Other key awards and recognitions:

Avera earned the highest level of recognition as a Level 10 “Most Wired” health care organization from the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) in its 2019 program. Avera was one of three health systems in the nation eligible for Level 10 status and the only health system east of the Rockies to earn this honor. The recognition marks the 20th time Avera was included in the survey as a top performer.

Additional Recognition

Several Avera hospitals ranked in the top 20 and top 100 among Rural & Community Hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals nationwide
Avera McKennan received its fifth Magnet designation and was named among “100 great hospitals in America” by Becker’s Healthcare.

Other Avera awards across the system

Browse Major 2020 News Stories

Avera Unites all Foundations as One

Avera has aligned its central and all hospital foundations into a single Avera Foundation. A 22-member team is led by Dzenan Berberovic, Chief Philanthropy Officer.

July 1, 2020
Avera Researchers Publish Major Findings About SIDS Risk

Research published in eClinicalMedicine reveals major findings that smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol during pregnancy significantly increase the risk of SIDS.

January 20, 2020
Avera Opens Human Performance Center at 69th and Louise Campus

This $14 million, 60,000-square-foot center is home to orthopedic and urgent care, physical and occupational therapy, sports medicine and performance training, performance nutrition, mental performance consulting and other support programs.

January 14, 2020
Granite Falls Health Joins Avera

Avera announces that Granite Falls Health in Granite Falls, Minn., joined Avera as of Jan. 1 as a subsidiary of Avera Marshall Regional Medical Center.

January 3, 2020
Avera Readies to Open the Avera Addiction Care Center

The Avera Addiction Care Center is a voluntary 28-day residential treatment center that uses evidence-based, individualized approaches to treat alcohol and drug addiction.

November 22, 2019
New Avera Medical Group Clinic in Windom

Avera Medical Group is constructing a new clinic in Windom, Minn. that will add space and enhance local health services.

November 22, 2019
Avera on Louise Health Campus Ready to Open

The first buildings at the Avera on Louise Health Campus at 69th and Louise in Sioux Falls are ready to open, and the first patients will be seen Oct. 29.

October 8, 2019
New Expanded Surgical Suites Open At Avera McKennan

Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center is expanding its surgical space on the main campus, bringing the total number of operating rooms from 14 to 18.

August 27, 2019
Avera Marshall Expands and Renovates Emergency Department

Avera Marshall Regional Medical Center celebrates the opening of a newly remodeled and expanded Emergency Department. The $6 million project doubles the square footage.

August 26, 2019

Live Better. Live Balanced. Avera.

Avera is a health ministry rooted in the Gospel. Our mission is to make a positive impact in the lives and health of persons and communities by providing quality services guided by Christian values.

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