Sanford Health has broken ground on a 60,000-square-foot Virtual Care Center that the health system said would serve as a hub for a network of virtual clinics and telehealth services to serve rural areas.
The Sanford Virtual Care Center will feature dedicated clinician workspaces equipped with telemedicine technology to offer a variety of service lines, including on-demand urgent care, behavioral healthcare and primary care. The building will also house innovation, education and research initiatives to advance digital health care and workforce solutions for the future.
Construction will begin immediately, with an anticipated opening date in 2024.
Headquartered in Sioux Falls, S.D., Sanford serves more than one million patients and 220,000 health plan members across 250,000 square miles. The integrated health system has 47 medical centers, and 2,800 Sanford physicians and advanced practice providers.
“At Sanford Health, we take great pride in serving America’s heartland. It is part of our legacy and our identity. Today, we take a critical step toward transforming the health care experience across rural America by breaking ground on the Sanford Virtual Care Center,” said Bill Gassen, president and CEO of Sanford Health, in a statement. “Thanks to the philanthropic spirit of our visionary donor, Denny Sanford, and his landmark gift of $350 million, we will make good on our commitment to bring exceptional health care to patients no matter where they call home or the challenges they face.”
“This flagship center will be the premier training ground to prepare medical students, residents and nurses for the next generation of care delivery,” said Brad Schipper, president of virtual care, in a statement. “The innovation that takes place in this building will help us deliver on our promise to patients by leveraging the best of technology to provide high-quality, safe care with an emphasis on convenience and affordability.”
In 2021, Sanford Health announced a virtual care initiative designed to transform healthcare for populations in rural and underserved areas. This initiative will leverage leading virtual care technologies and services to extend the quality care delivered by Sanford’s providers across its 250,000-square-mile footprint.
In addition to the Sanford Virtual Care Center in Sioux Falls, five pilot satellite clinics will be placed where services are otherwise unavailable or diminishing, allowing high-tech, high-touch connectivity with Sanford clinicians.
On Aug. 23, Sanford Health brought together policymakers, national healthcare leaders and industry experts for a national Summit on the Future of Rural Health Care. The event included roundtable discussions and fireside chats focused on opportunities to expand access, reduce costs, close disparities and improve health outcomes in rural America.
