Patients rank 28 Essentia Health physicians and advance practice clinicians among the top in the nation for patient care

Each year, Essentia Health contracts with Professional Research Consultants (PRC) to randomly survey patients about their experiences in its hospitals and clinics. PRC uses results from these surveys to rank Essentia physicians, staff and facilities within its national database of approximately 400 health care organizations. This is similar to what other service industries do, however the commitment Essentia Health has to service through the Spirit of Caring celebrates when we have delivered great service but also responds with specific training based on our Benedictine history and seven core values when we see an opportunity for the entire team to do a better job.

“Letting people know we care is our foundation for the healing journey to begin,” explains Adam Rees, President of Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Brainerd and surrounding clinics. “Our service excellence Spirit of Caring movement provides tools and coaching to make everyday interactions with patients and their families exceptional. It is a great pleasure to congratulate our physicians, advanced clinicians, and the teams that support them in this national recognition that is based on the patient experience.”

Recently PRC announced, that based on benchmark feedback from hundreds of organizations across the county, 16 physicians and advanced practice clinicians at Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical Center and Clinics are among the top 10% in the nation, and 12 physicians and advanced practice clinicians are among the top 25% in the nation for delivering an excellent patient experience.

Those recognized as Five-Star Award recipients for providing service that is in the Top 10% nationally are:

• Inpatient Medical/Surgical Unit at Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical Center            
• Inpatient OB/GYN at Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical Center
• Physician Assistant Amy Borash – Family Practice at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s–Pierz Clinic
• Dr. Emily Day – Family Practice at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s–Baxter Clinic
• Dr. Gus Fisker – Family Practice at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s-Pequot Lakes Clinic
• Dr. Mark Gray – Family Practice at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s-Brainerd Clinic
• Dr. Stephen Hanske – Internal Medicine at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s–Brainerd Clinic
• Nurse Practitioner Leah Lempola – Endocrinology at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s–Brainerd Clinic
• Dr. Roger Macy – Family Practice at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s–Brainerd Clinic
• Dr. Jennifer Mahling-Stadum – Family Practice at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s–Brainerd Clinic
• Dr. Vanessa Menghini – Internal Medicine at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s–Brainerd Clinic
• Dr. Thomas Moraghan – Endocrinology at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s–Brainerd Clinic
• Lynn Pender, RN – Diabetes Education at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s–Brainerd Clinic
• Nurse Specialist Barb Risnes – Diabetes Education at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s–Brainerd Clinic
• Nurse Practitioner Melonee Ruhl – Gastroenterology at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s–Brainerd Clinic
• Nurse Practitioner Kelly Spray – Family Practice at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s-Pequot Lakes Clinic
• Dr. Patricia Westerberg – OB/GYN at Essentia Health–Baxter Specialty Clinic
• Dr. Kathy Wimmer – Family Practice at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s–Pillager Clinic

Those recognizes as Four-Star Award recipients for providing service that is in the Top 25% nationally are:

• Inpatient Unit at Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical Center
• Dr. Greg Davis – Pulmonology at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s–Brainerd Clinic
• Dr. Troy Duininck – General Surgery at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s–Brainerd Clinic
• Dr. Peter Dunphy – Family Practice at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s–Baxter Clinic
• Dr. Kristi Gebhardt – Internal Medicine at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s–Baxter Clinic
• Dr. Joshua Kempf – Family Practice at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s-Baxter Clinic
• Nurse Practitioner Nathan Kline – Neurology and Pulmonology at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s–Brainerd Clinic
• Nurse Practitioner Kassandra Nelson – Family Practice at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s–Pillager Clinic
• Dr. Pamela Rice – OB/GYN at Essentia Health–Baxter Specialty Clinic Dr.
• Jared Rustad - Neurology at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s–Brainerd Clinic
• Dr. Kirsten Sjostrand - OB/GYN at Essentia Health–Baxter Specialty Clinic
• Emily Stunek, RN – Endocrinology at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s–Brainerd Clinic
• Nurse Practitioner Anna Wistrom-Thesing – Internal Medicine at Essentia Health St. Joseph’s-Baxter Clinic