Bill Gassen, President & CEO, Sanford Health

In an interview with Invest:, Bill Gassen, president and CEO of Sanford Health, discussed the organization’s commitment to patient-centered care, innovation, and partnerships. “Our mission is to provide care, comfort, and cures for every patient,” he said.

What have been the main highlights and key milestones for Sanford Health that you’d like to share with us in the past 12 months?

During the past year, Sanford Health has prioritized focusing on our patients daily. Every decision impacts our patients, and we keep that in focus. As we navigate challenging times, we’ve concentrated on access, quality, and long-term sustainability. Drawing on our 100-plus year history, we’ve achieved these goals by partnering with like-minded organizations to improve care.

Our mission is to provide care, comfort, and cures for every patient. This year, we welcomed Marshfield Clinic Health System from central Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and earlier, Black Hills Orthopedic & Spine Center and Black Hills Surgical Hospital from western South Dakota and Wyoming. These organizations share our commitment to patient-centric care and community health.

Marshfield Clinic, like us, serves rural and non-rural communities. We balance delivering world-class care in urban and rural settings, using integrated resources to ensure financially resilient outcomes for patients, communities, and the health system.

What is your perspective on the healthcare landscape in the Twin Cities?

The greater Twin Cities has been a rich environment for innovation within healthcare for generations, not only from a healthcare delivery perspective but also from an insurance and life sciences perspective. This continues to be a thriving part of the overall healthcare economy across the country. Having had the privilege of serving patients on the provider side, the insurance side, and through research in the state of Minnesota, we have a front-row seat to seeing that happen every day.

It continues to be a market of great interest to Sanford Health as we find other like-minded partners to work with and improve access, quality, and sustainability for patients.

What are the main medical services driving growth and demand for Sanford Health? 

The field of healthcare is increasingly complex. It becomes increasingly challenging to meet all the demands of our patients and communities. At Sanford Health, we’ve found the best way to do that is with a holistic view, looking at healthcare delivery from multiple sectors, including primary care, specialty care, and subspecialty care. To fully meet the ever-changing needs of our patients and communities, we are focused on developing a full continuum of subspecialties and providing care across the lifespan while also looking at partnerships to expand access to highly specialized services, including quaternary care.

Additionally, it’s important to take a holistic view of the patient, considering insurance and research perspectives. At Sanford Health, we’re a fully integrated system. We see our patients, residents, and members as individuals. As a system that provides acute and post-acute care, health insurance, and research, we have a unique perspective on how individuals interact with the healthcare economy and system.

We believe that to fully meet our patients’ needs and ensure the best possible outcomes, we must consider all angles. Focusing solely on healthcare delivery, insurance, or life sciences leaves too many blind spots. Our patients deserve a comprehensive approach. At Sanford Health, we’re committed to this through our integrated system and partnerships, ensuring we deliver the best outcomes for our patients.

To what extent is Sanford Health leveraging technology, such as AI, digital tools, new software systems, or other medical-related technologies? 

At Sanford Health, we’ve taken a comprehensive approach to leveraging technology. We established a multidisciplinary group, including physicians, nurses, researchers, bioethicists, compliance teams, and technology experts, to govern AI use, ensuring it prioritizes patient and provider well-being.

We use AI to reduce clinician burnout and increase satisfaction. Ambient listening devices in clinics let physicians spend more face-to-face time with patients, capturing notes privately for later review. This has boosted satisfaction scores for patients and providers.

We also use AI in electronic medical records to identify patients eligible for clinical trials, connecting them to potential cures. Additionally, AI helps prioritize colorectal cancer screenings, ensuring higher-risk patients receive timely care.

Last year, we launched a $350 million philanthropically led virtual care initiative, saving patients millions of miles in travel by extending primary, specialty, and subspecialty care virtually. We’re committed to expanding this effort while advocating for better reimbursement policies.

What initiatives or measures is Sanford implementing to make healthcare more accessible and affordable for patients?

I’ll start by focusing on the indirect costs of healthcare. Beyond direct costs like clinic visits and insurance, indirect costs include time off work, childcare, and transportation. We address this through virtual care, extending specialty care to homes and clinics, and reducing travel needs. 

Sanford Health also offers presumptive financial assistance, with 95% of applicants receiving aid. As a not-for-profit health system, we are committed to providing access to lifesaving care, regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. We work closely with patients, setting up plans and enrolling them in assistance programs. 

We also invest in the EmPATH Unit at the Sanford Bemidji Crisis Center in Bemidji, Minnesota, providing just-in-time mental health crisis care. These efforts — virtual care, financial assistance, and targeted investments — improve access, quality, and financial sustainability for all.

How is Sanford Health working to improve access to and delivery of mental and behavioral healthcare for patients?

One way we’ve addressed behavioral health needs is by embedding behavioral health specialists in all our primary care clinics. Often, patients in need of behavioral health support are identified through emergency departments or primary care providers, but these settings aren’t always equipped to meet those needs. By embedding specialists in primary care clinics, we ensure that patients can receive immediate support without waiting for referrals or appointments.

This approach has been one of our most impactful investments in addressing the growing behavioral health needs in our communities. Primary care providers highly value this resource and emphasize the importance of maintaining and expanding it. Behavioral health is health, and addressing these needs promptly is critical.

Combining in-person behavioral healthcare with virtual services further enhances our ability to meet patient needs. While there’s still progress to be made, I’m proud of the work our organization has done to advance in this space and support our communities.

Is there any other key topic or important subject that you’d like to address?

The only thing I’d emphasize is that, beyond my role at Sanford Health, I have the privilege of serving on the executive committee for the American Hospital Association, the board of directors for Oscar Health, and recently, the board for Medical Alley in the Greater Twin Cities. These roles have given me a broader perspective on the challenges facing healthcare across the country.

I believe our path forward lies in partnership. While healthy competition exists, addressing the demands of our patients and communities requires collaboration. We must bring together providers, researchers, life sciences, insurers, and policymakers to pool resources and advance smart, positive legislation.

Despite the challenges, I’m optimistic about the future. I believe our best days are ahead, and I’m excited about what this means for our patients, our people, and our communities.