Accra and Minnesota Community Care Partner to Bring Health Care into Medicaid Enrollees’ Homes

MINNEAPOLIS – June 1, 2021 – Accra, Minnesota’s largest homecare provider, and Minnesota Community Care, a St. Paul-based clinic that provides full-service health care for all people regardless of income or insurance status, are partnering to revolutionize the way Medicaid enrollees access health care in Minnesota.

Using homecare-assisted telehealth appointments and in-home care management provided by Accra, Minnesota Community Care’s physicians will have more information about the full daily experience of their patients, and patients will get help following physicians’ orders at home.

“Our goal is to extend health care clinics directly into homes, by enabling homecare-assisted telehealth visits and in-home care management,” explained John Dahm, president and chief executive officer of Accra. “In-home care management seeks to identify services beyond primary care to extend the patient’s ability to live successfully in the community.”

“This homecare partnership transforms care delivery with a focus on patients who seek primary care from the comfort of their homes,” said Reuben Moore, president and executive officer of Minnesota Community Care. “This has the potential to remove access barriers, improve clinical outcomes and reduce the total cost of care.”

Both nonprofit organizations primarily serve people with barriers to care, including children and adults with disabilities and older adults. Many clients often find it difficult to visit a clinical location, especially during the pandemic, and need additional help at home to maintain their health.

During COVID-19, the two nonprofit organizations realized that they could improve their clients’ health care outcomes through home-based telehealth visits and in-home care management.

Accra nurses bring technology into the home and gather appropriate clinical data prior to connecting to Minnesota Community Care physicians and clinical care providers, and homecare providers help clients follow through with their medical plan. This allows for a high-quality clinical visit in the home and reduces the challenges of stand-alone telehealth visits.

Additionally, by working together, doctors and in-home caregivers are able to identify other factors that impact overall health, such as adequate nutrition, drug adherence or isolation. Together they can then call on other community partners such as food shelves to remove barriers and improve patients’ overall quality of life.

About Accra

For 30 years, Accra has improved the lives of Minnesotans by providing individualized homecare services to people with disabilities and older adults, most of whom are Medicaid enrollees.

Accra is a nonprofit organization that operates in all counties throughout Minnesota and has offices across the state, providing a familiar presence in local communities. Accra’s self-directed services support the independence of children, adolescents and adults with disabilities, chronic diseases, behavioral diagnoses and mental illnesses, who need assistance with personal care in the home and activities of daily living.

About Minnesota Community Care

Minnesota Community Care was founded in 1969 with a simple purpose – to meet the health needs of the underserved. As the largest federally qualified health center in the state, Minnesota Community Care provides primary care, mental health care, pharmacy access, vision care, chiropractic care, and more, to nearly 40,000 patients each year across 17 clinical locations. Public health and outreach services reach an additional 30,000 beneficiaries annually..

Media Contacts

Emily McGrath – EmilyMcGrath@accracare.org

Eve Onduru – eonduru@mncare.org