Latest news with #AllinaHealth
CBS News
3 hours ago
- Business
- CBS News
Allina Health doctors, PAs hold first-ever union picket, ask for better work-life balance in new contract
Six hundred Allina doctors, physician assistants and nurse practitioners who work in primary care are asking for a new contract with more work-life balance. They gathered in the pouring rain Tuesday morning for a first-of-its-kind protest. "We are here together as a result of many years of fighting, fighting for primary care and fighting to make things better," workers chanted. While nurses have walked the picket line for years, these picketers are doctors, PA's and nurse practitioners who are admittedly higher compensated. "We all get paid really well, its not about that. It's about having better support for our patients and support in our community and that we want a fair treatment in our contract and protections for everybody," said Dr. Chris Filetti, a pediatrician with Allina Health. WCCO The workers are asking for paid sick leave, instead of having to use vacation time. They're also asking for four hours a week to finish paperwork, instead of doing it in their off time. Additionally, they're asking for more medical assistants and nurses for support. "As a provider I hear story after story about providers who have to cut back from practice because of poor work-life balance," said Filetti. Allina's leaders say they are listening despite the unsettled contract, telling WCCO in a statement: "We continue to negotiate in good faith to reach responsible agreements that maintain competitive pay and benefits for our providers while ensuring that we can sustain our caring mission during these extremely uncertain economic times. It is important to get it right. We remain committed to reaching fair agreements that ensure we can maintain access to the high-quality care people depend on."
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Unionized doctors picket outside Allina clinics in first for Minnesota
Unionized physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners picketed in rain and smokey air outside Allina's Coon Rapids clinic on June 3, 2025 in a first for Minnesota. (Photo by Max Nesterak/Minnesota Reformer) Newly unionized doctors, nurse practitioners and physician assistants walked picket lines for the first time in Minnesota outside four Allina clinics on Tuesday, voicing frustration with what they called the 'factory style' of modern medicine. The clinicians voted by a wide margin to unionize with Doctors Council SEIU in October 2023, forming the nation's largest private-sector doctors union with more than 600 members across 60 Allina clinics in Minnesota and Wisconsin. But since then, union leaders say they've made little progress toward finalizing a first labor contract covering wages, benefits and working conditions despite meeting with hospital leaders nearly 40 times. 'We're not seeing Allina come to the table with meaningful proposals,' said Dr. Chris Antolak, a family physician, outside Allina's clinic in Coon Rapids. 'We're here today to picket because we need to prove to Allina that we're standing in strength and solidarity.' The union also organized picket lines, which are not strikes, outside Allina clinics in Maplewood, West St. Paul and Bloomington. The striking image of physicians picketing underscores the turbulent state of American health care, which leaves many patients and now even doctors demanding change. Physicians, as the white collars on their lab coats convey, have not historically seen themselves as workers in need of a union. The consolidation of health care and productivity demands set by faraway bosses, however, has made many feel more like workers pushed to churn through patients on an assembly line rather than masters of their own practices. 'I'm a union kid. My parents were teachers … I never thought I would be union until I realized the power that we have as a single voice,' said Dr. Kara Larson, who's worked as a pediatrician at the Coon Rapids clinic since 1999. 'The union brought us together to advocate for change for our patients.' The clinicians say Allina has proposed cutting compensation by reducing their base salary from the median wage for health care providers nationally to the 25th percentile. They also say the health system, one of the largest in the Upper Midwest with $5.8 billion in revenue in 2024, refused to budge in negotiations over reducing work loads and increasing support staff and sick leave. Addressing safety concerns also remains a sticking point — health care workers are among the most likely to be physically assaulted on the job, which is also animating separate union nurses' negotiations with more than a dozen hospitals including Allina. In a statement, Allina Health said it is negotiating in good faith with the union to seek 'responsible agreements.' 'Allina Health and the union were fully aware they would be charting new territory in creating these first contracts, and it is important to get it right,' the statement said. The two sides have come to tentative agreements over the control of their schedules, creation of a mentorship program and labor management committee, and protections against unfair discipline. Braving rain and willdfire-induced bad air, the physicians at times seemed unfamiliar with picket line practices: A SEIU staff member shouted out instructions on picketing — where to start walking and where to pivot back — before they started. More than once the group seemed to forget to keep moving and came to a standstill, while two people led competing chants at different paces, muddying what's typically a clear call-and-response. But nevertheless, they got their point across. Physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants are sure to become more practiced in blue collar labor demonstrations in the years to come as unionization increases. Just this year, resident physicians at Hennepin Healthcare and the University of Minnesota unionized with SEIU's Committee of Interns and Residents, one of the fastest growing health care unions in the country. More than 130 Allina doctors at Mercy and Unity hospitals voted to unionize in 2023, and last year, more than 400 nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other advanced nursing staff voted to unionize across nine Essentia hospitals and 60 clinics spanning northern Minnesota and Wisconsin. Chris Rubesch, president of the Minnesota Nurses Association, joined the picket line in support of the doctors on Tuesday, signaling a growing alliance between two classes of health care workers not infrequently at odds with each other. 'We have a broken health care system that prioritizes profits … and we need to refocus on our patients,' Rubesch said. 'We are standing with you shoulder to shoulder.'
Associated Press
6 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
SoundHound AI and Allina Health Launch AI Agent to Redefine Patient Engagement
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 29, 2025-- SoundHound AI, Inc. (Nasdaq: SOUN), a global leader in voice artificial intelligence, today announced its partnership with Allina Health and deployment of 'Alli, ' an AI agent for patient engagement, powered by its Amelia conversational AI platform. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: Allina Health's new AI agent, 'Alli,' streamlines patient access and frees customer experience representatives to focus on complex needs. Alli answers calls within Allina Health's Customer Experience Center and integrates directly with Allina Health's electronic medical record system, allowing it to instantly identify and authenticate callers. The AI agent allows patients to manage their appointments, and in the future patients will be able to refill medications, find doctors or locations, and receive answers to non-clinical questions – all without having to wait on hold. This eliminates the need for customer experience representatives to spend time on manual verification, accelerating access to care. Since launch, Alli has significantly improved operational performance for Allina Health. Average call time has improved by 5–10 seconds, and 80% of calls are now answered in 45 seconds or less, without increasing staffing levels. 'One of our key goals is to make sure that we're providing a market-leading patient experience,' said David Ingham, DO, Allina Health Chief Information Officer. 'Alli is an extension of our team, and we're excited to have her on board to streamline operations, reduce wait times, and deliver a faster, more seamless experience for our patients.' By offloading routine tasks to Alli, Allina Health's customer experience representatives are now able to focus on patients who have more complex or sensitive needs, providing the white-glove service and personalized support those situations require. Patients also benefit from increased self-service capabilities, gaining more control over their care journey through fast, convenient access to answers and actions. 'Long wait times and administrative complexity can be a huge source of stress for patients,' said Michael Anderson, Executive Vice President of Enterprise AI at SoundHound AI. 'We are proud to partner with Allina Health on this important digital transformation. The organization is taking a forward-thinking approach by integrating AI to support patients with immediate, personalized assistance.' SoundHound provides healthcare organizations with AI agents that leverage the latest in conversational and generative AI technology, ensuring reliability, security, and scalability. These AI agents are HIPAA-compliant and available across any voice- or chat-based channel to answer patient questions and automate self-service tasks through natural-language conversations. For more information on SoundHound's Amelia AI Agents for Healthcare, visit: For more information on SoundHound AI, visit: About SoundHound AI SoundHound AI (Nasdaq: SOUN), a global leader in voice and conversational intelligence, delivers AI solutions that allow businesses to offer superior experiences to their customers. Built on proprietary technology, SoundHound's voice AI delivers best-in-class speed and accuracy in numerous languages to product creators and service providers across retail, financial services, healthcare, automotive, smart devices, and restaurants. The company's various groundbreaking AI-driven products include Smart Answering, Smart Ordering, Dynamic Drive-Thru, and the Amelia Platform, which powers AI Agents for enterprise. In addition, SoundHound Chat AI, a powerful voice assistant with integrated Generative AI, and Autonomics, a category-leading operations platform that automates IT processes, have allowed SoundHound to power millions of products and services, and processes billions of interactions each year for world class businesses. About Allina Health Allina Health is dedicated to the prevention and treatment of illness and enhancing the greater health of individuals, families and communities throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin. A nonprofit health care system, Allina Health cares for patients from beginning to end-of-life through its 90+ clinics, 12 hospital campuses, 13 retail pharmacies, and many specialty care centers and specialty medical services, home care, and emergency medical transportation services. Learn more at and join us on Facebook, X , Instagram and LinkedIn. View source version on CONTACT: Media Contact Fiona McEvoy 415-610-6590 [email protected] KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: DATA MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY HEALTH GENERAL HEALTH HEALTH TECHNOLOGY TELECOMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE INTERNET VOIP TELEMEDICINE/VIRTUAL MEDICINE SOURCE: SoundHound AI, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 05/29/2025 08:55 AM/DISC: 05/29/2025 08:54 AM
Business Wire
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
SoundHound AI and Allina Health Launch AI Agent to Redefine Patient Engagement
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SoundHound AI, Inc. (Nasdaq: SOUN), a global leader in voice artificial intelligence, today announced its partnership with Allina Health and deployment of 'Alli, ' an AI agent for patient engagement, powered by its Amelia conversational AI platform. Average call time has improved by 5–10 seconds, and 80% of calls are now answered in 45 seconds or less, without increasing staffing levels. Share Alli answers calls within Allina Health's Customer Experience Center and integrates directly with Allina Health's electronic medical record system, allowing it to instantly identify and authenticate callers. The AI agent allows patients to manage their appointments, and in the future patients will be able to refill medications, find doctors or locations, and receive answers to non-clinical questions – all without having to wait on hold. This eliminates the need for customer experience representatives to spend time on manual verification, accelerating access to care. Since launch, Alli has significantly improved operational performance for Allina Health. Average call time has improved by 5–10 seconds, and 80% of calls are now answered in 45 seconds or less, without increasing staffing levels. 'One of our key goals is to make sure that we're providing a market-leading patient experience,' said David Ingham, DO, Allina Health Chief Information Officer. 'Alli is an extension of our team, and we're excited to have her on board to streamline operations, reduce wait times, and deliver a faster, more seamless experience for our patients.' By offloading routine tasks to Alli, Allina Health's customer experience representatives are now able to focus on patients who have more complex or sensitive needs, providing the white-glove service and personalized support those situations require. Patients also benefit from increased self-service capabilities, gaining more control over their care journey through fast, convenient access to answers and actions. 'Long wait times and administrative complexity can be a huge source of stress for patients,' said Michael Anderson, Executive Vice President of Enterprise AI at SoundHound AI. 'We are proud to partner with Allina Health on this important digital transformation. The organization is taking a forward-thinking approach by integrating AI to support patients with immediate, personalized assistance.' SoundHound provides healthcare organizations with AI agents that leverage the latest in conversational and generative AI technology, ensuring reliability, security, and scalability. These AI agents are HIPAA-compliant and available across any voice- or chat-based channel to answer patient questions and automate self-service tasks through natural-language conversations. For more information on SoundHound's Amelia AI Agents for Healthcare, visit: For more information on SoundHound AI, visit: About SoundHound AI SoundHound AI (Nasdaq: SOUN), a global leader in voice and conversational intelligence, delivers AI solutions that allow businesses to offer superior experiences to their customers. Built on proprietary technology, SoundHound's voice AI delivers best-in-class speed and accuracy in numerous languages to product creators and service providers across retail, financial services, healthcare, automotive, smart devices, and restaurants. The company's various groundbreaking AI-driven products include Smart Answering, Smart Ordering, Dynamic Drive-Thru, and the Amelia Platform, which powers AI Agents for enterprise. In addition, SoundHound Chat AI, a powerful voice assistant with integrated Generative AI, and Autonomics, a category-leading operations platform that automates IT processes, have allowed SoundHound to power millions of products and services, and processes billions of interactions each year for world class businesses. About Allina Health Allina Health is dedicated to the prevention and treatment of illness and enhancing the greater health of individuals, families and communities throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin. A nonprofit health care system, Allina Health cares for patients from beginning to end-of-life through its 90+ clinics, 12 hospital campuses, 13 retail pharmacies, and many specialty care centers and specialty medical services, home care, and emergency medical transportation services. Learn more at and join us on Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn.
22-05-2025
- Health
'Wrong organ was removed': Surgeon faces lawsuit over alleged kidney removal error
A Minnesota woman in her 80s is now living with stage 5 kidney disease after a surgeon allegedly removed her kidney during what was supposed to be a routine spleen removal procedure, according to a recently filed lawsuit. Wendy Rappaport of Plymouth, Minnesota, went to Abbott Northwestern Hospital in March 2022 for treatment of a spleen condition. However, the surgery took an unexpected turn when the surgeon removed her left kidney instead of her spleen, the court documents filed on May 16 claimed. "The wrong organ was removed," Rappaport's attorney Aaron Lawrence told ABC News. "This never should have happened. We hope that Allina takes responsibility for this negligence instead of blaming the victim," he said, referring to the Minneapolis-based Allina Health System, of which Abbott Northwestern is a part. According to the lawsuit, Rappaport was admitted to the hospital on March 24, 2022, for concerns about a possible spleen abscess or rupture. After undergoing initial tests and consulting with doctors, she was scheduled for spleen removal surgery on March 28, 2022. The lawsuit alleged that Dr. Devon Callahan performed the surgery and instead of removing the spleen, the surgeon removed Rappaport's healthy left kidney. The legal documents also claimed that the doctor's post-operative note indicated he had removed an intact spleen. ABC News reached out to Callahan for comment but has not yet received a response. The lawsuit stated that Rappaport remained hospitalized for nearly two months until May 25, 2022. Rappaport's post-procedure diagnoses included "splenic abscess, left nephrectomy (left kidney removal), respiratory failure, left pleural effusion, and diastolic heart failure," the court documents stated. She has since been diagnosed with stage 5 chronic kidney disease, for which she now requires regular dialysis treatment, according to the court documents. Chronic kidney disease is diagnosed in stages, 1-5. Stage 5 is one of the most advanced stages, at which point the kidneys are close to failure or have completely failed, according to the Cleveland Clinic. After this point, those affected may require dialysis or kidney transplant -- at which point they would enter what is termed "end stage" kidney disease. Rappaport is suing Callahan and Allina Health for the alleged medical mistake. "While we will not discuss details of a patient's care due to privacy laws, the court filings don't accurately reflect the full picture of the patient's condition, or the life-saving medical care provided," Allina Health said in a statement to ABC News. "We intend to vigorously defend, in court, the care that was provided." The lawsuit seeks monetary damages exceeding $50,000 -- though Rappaport's legal team noted that this figure is just a procedural requirement under Minnesota law, and the actual amount sought will be higher. "We are seeking fair compensation that exceeds $50,000," Lawrence explained, clarifying that Minnesota court rules prevent them from specifying the exact amount in their initial complaint.
