Sanford Health details commitment to community in new report
| June 23, 2025 |
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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Strengthening the health and well-being of local communities is at the core of Sanford Health’s mission. As the largest nonprofit provider of rural health care in the United States, Sanford Health is proud to provide services, support and initiatives to respond to the current and future health needs of its communities. These investments improve access to affordable, high-quality care, enhance community health, reduce barriers and address health disparities, all while making communities more resilient.
These commitments are detailed in Sanford Health’s 2023-24 Community Commitment Report, a comprehensive view of how Sanford Health gives back to the communities it serves throughout its footprint.
Two-thirds of the patients Sanford Health serves live in rural areas where many face unique challenges. These patients are more likely to have fewer resources to access care and experience higher rates of poverty, food and housing insecurity, and chronic disease, which often lead to poorer health outcomes.
“Our mission at Sanford Health is to care, comfort and cure. That mission does not stop when an appointment is finished. We are committed to supporting our patients, residents, members and communities in ways that extend beyond the walls of our clinics, hospitals and facilities,” said Bill Gassen, president and CEO of Sanford Health. “I am proud of the investments and commitments we have made in our communities to keep our hometowns healthy and thriving. Our extraordinary caregivers, as well as our incredible community partners, have dedicated their time and talents to meet the needs of all we serve.”
Each year, Sanford Health provides hundreds of millions of dollars in community services and programs. From providing free or reduced-cost care to thousands of patients to addressing workforce needs across the region, below are examples of community benefit programs in which Sanford Health is focused on strengthening the health and well-being of the communities it serves.
Care for All
- Sanford Health provides medically necessary care to anyone in need, regardless of their ability to pay.
- Sanford Health provides financial assistance to 90% of patients who apply for it, which can range from a reduction in the balance to complete forgiveness.
- Sanford Health offers a database to assist patients with finding and accessing community resources. The website findhelp.com compiles information to help address basic needs such as housing, food, transportation and childcare. In 2024, referrals to sanford.findhelp.com increased nearly 80-percent from 2023.
Expanded Access
- Two-thirds of Sanford Health patients who used virtual care in the last year live more than 30 miles from a major medical center. The Sanford Virtual Care Center, which opened in Nov. 2024, enhances Sanford Health’s virtual care offerings. Since 2011, Sanford Health has served more than 1.7 million people virtually, saving 56.2 million miles.
- To enhance colorectal cancer preventative care, Sanford Health mailed more than 45,000 stool-based testing kits to average-risk patients who were overdue for a screening or never had been screened. These at-home kits provided a convenient option for early detection, and patients with abnormal results were promptly contacted to schedule follow-up colonoscopies.
- Sanford Health is among 13 community health systems sharing data through the Veteran Interoperability Pledge to improve the care experience for veterans regardless of where they receive care. Through this pledge, Sanford Health seamlessly exchanges information about care requested and provided, saves money for veterans and connects veterans with VA benefits.
Behavioral Health
- The BeHEARD program has equipped 159 educators representing 34 schools in South Dakota and North Dakota with the knowledge, skills and confidence to support youth ages 10-17 with behavioral health concerns.
- In partnership with the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, The Treatment Collaborative for Traumatized Youth (TCTY) was established to advance trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, the gold standard for treating children who have experienced trauma.
- The virtual behavioral health emergent assessment program offers rural partners throughout Minnesota, South Dakota and North Dakota virtual access to board-certified psychiatrists. The service is available in emergency rooms in rural communities and inpatient settings. Since the program was launched in December 2023, more than 620 patients have accessed emergency behavioral health care virtually.
Community Outreach
- The CAPABLE program in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and surrounding communities supports adults 60+ years old or those with a physical disability. The goal of the program is to increase mobility, functionality and the capacity to age at home.
- To help reduce the financial burden on teachers who often spend their own money on classroom supplies, Sanford Health established the Sanford PROMISE Equipment Lending Library. This provides educators with free access to professional-grade science equipment and experiment materials.
- Sanford Fit creates free resources designed to captivate children’s attention, educate them about important health topics and inspire healthy behaviors. Since 2019, the program has reached 17 million children in over 200 countries, including more than 1 million users of online resources.
- In the summer of 2024, Sanford Sports, in partnership with Sanford Orthopedics & Sports Medicine and Sanford Research, provided free ACL injury risk screenings for nearly 500 middle and high school athletes at Fargo-Moorhead regional schools.
Medical Research
- Sanford Research, a multistate research institute, participates in nearly 1,500 active clinical trials and studies that aim to improve the prevention, detection, treatment and survivorship of a wide range of diseases. While clinical trial recruitment has historically been centered in larger urban areas, Sanford Health is committed to pursuing cures and improving treatments for diseases that affect communities in rural America.
- Sanford Children’s Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, has recently been designated as a new Undiagnosed Disease Network (UDN) clinical site. UDN is a research study supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that works towards solving the most challenging medical mysteries.
- ImagineYou is a no-cost genetic screening study designed to help participants better understand the impact of their DNA on their health. A secure, privacy protected database will allow researchers to study genetic links to health, uncover causes of diseases and identify new treatment approaches.
Workforce Development
- Sanford Health facilities serve as clinical and non-clinical training sites for thousands of students every year. Through Aspire by Sanford, students in grades K-12 have opportunities to start exploring careers in health care.
- The Genesis Program provides community members interested in the health care industry a pathway to a new career. Participants engage in an innovative, 4-week experience, exposing them to both clinical and non-clinical positions. After completing the program, a participant could receive an offer for full-time employment.
- Sanford Health continues to expand its graduate medical education programs to bring clinical expertise, resources, and sub-specialties to the upper Midwest. A GI fellowship is the newest 3-year program in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
About Sanford Health
Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America’s heartland. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization has 53,000 employees and serves over 2 million patients and nearly 425,000 health plan members across the upper Midwest including South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Iowa, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The integrated nonprofit health system includes a network of 56 hospitals, 288 clinic locations, 147 senior care communities, 4,000 physicians and advanced practice providers and nearly 1,500 active clinical trials and studies. The organization’s transformational virtual care initiative brings patients closer to care with access to 78 specialties. Learn more about Sanford Health’s commitment to shaping the future of rural health care across the lifespan at sanfordhealth.org or Sanford Health News.
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