Essentia Health’s mission is to make a healthy difference in people’s lives. The helath care facility pursues that mission at its 14 hospitals, 73 clinics, six long-term care facilities, three independent living facilities, six ambulance services and one research institute. 

Essentia has about 14,700 employees, including more than 2,100 physicians and advanced practitioners who provide expert, compassionate care. They serve patients in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.

Each year, Essentia Health contracts with Professional Research Consultants (PRC) to randomly survey patients about their experiences in our hospitals and clinics. 

PRC uses its jresults from these surveys to rank Essentia physicians, staff and facilities within its national database of healthcare organizations. The 2022 awards are based on patient surveys conducted throughout 2021. 

The Excellence in Healthcare Awards recognize organizations and individuals who achieve excellence throughout the year by improving patient experiences, health care-employee management and/or physician alignment and engagement based on surveys of their patients. 

In Essentia’s West Market, which encompasses Eastern North Dakota and Western Minnesota, five providers received PRC’s Top Performer Award, meaning they scored at the 100th percentile for overall quality of care. 

Top Performers include:

• Jana Sundeen, APRN, CNP, family medicine, Essentia Health St. Mary’s-Pelican Rapids Clinic

• Dr. Stefanie Gefroh, OB/GYN, Essentia Health-32nd Avenue Clinic

• Dr. Caitlin Pandolfo, OB/GYN, Essentia Health-32nd Avenue Clinic

• Teresa Formo, APRN, CNP, family medicine, Essentia Health-South University Clinic

Across Essentia Health, 14 providers were named Top performers. Additional honors were awarded to the following in the west market.

The 5-Star Award recognizes organizations and individuals who score in the top 10 percent (at or above the 90th percentile) of the PRC national client database for percentage of patients who rate the overall quality of care by the clinic/facility or unit/provider as “excellent”.

The 5-Star 

award recognizes:

• Amanda Beehler, DO, dermatology, Essential Health St. Mary’s- Detroit Lakes Clinic

• Shanna Hendrickson, APRN, CNP, family medicine, Essentia Health St. Mary’s- Detroit Lakes Clinic

• Jessica Lindblom, APRN, CNP, family medicine, Essentia Health St. Mary’s- Detroit Lakes Clinic

• Sarah Winter, PA-C, family medicine, Essentia Health St. Mary’s- Detroit Lakes Clinic

• Gaurav Mehta, MBBS, family medicine, Essentia Health St. Mary’s- Detroit Lakes Clinic

• Essentia Health St. Mary’s- Detroit Lakes Clinic, infusion services 

Additionally, 92 providers and six facilities/teams across Essentia received a 4-Star Award in Overall Quality of Care, meaning they scored in the top 25 percent (at or above the 75th percentile).