From North Shore Health - February 24, 2025

People across the Northland are waiting several months for their first therapy appointment. Wilderness Health has worked with its member hospitals and software Adaptive Telehealth to cut wait times and meet the needs of patients. Previously, we added psychiatric nurse practitioners into the Emergency Department by telehealth to provide mental health access. Now, North Shore Health has a new resource for accessing therapy: the Ambulatory Therapy and Diagnostic Assessment program.

The program has an easy-to-use platform that allows you to select a trusted mental health provider who can provide telehealth visits in Minnesota. Adults and children are welcome! Patients can view the in-network health plans, available times, and special areas of interest for each provider. 

Referral options are available for diagnostic assessments, short-term therapy, or long-term therapy. Short-term therapy can fill the gap until patients are able to get into another local practice, get a learning plan in place at school, or address short-term goals they may have. As a virtual option, you do not have to travel to the hospital for therapy—all you need is an internet connection and a device. Just ask your provider for help with the initial setup. 

This program has previously launched at other sites and is currently available at Duluth, Two Harbors, and Ely locations. These include Aspirus St. Luke’s Clinics - Duluth: Pediatrics and Woodland; Aspirus Lake View Two Harbors Clinic; and Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital.

Now, at North Shore Health, healthcare staff in the Emergency Room and other hospital areas can connect patients with an option to get convenient telemental health support without long wait times.

About North Shore Health - North Shore Health is a rural health facility located on the beautiful north shore of Lake Superior in Grand Marais, MN. The organization, which is part of the Cook County Hospital District, includes a 16-bed critical access hospital, a 37-bed skilled nursing facility, a home health agency, an ambulance service, and a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic services. Their mission is “Community Access to Compassionate Care”. 

Funding Acknowledgement - Care Navigation program activities and materials produced by WH are supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $297,000 with 10% financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.

About Wilderness Health - a non-profit collaborative of independent providers working together to improve rural health care in Northeastern Minnesota and Wisconsin. Headquartered in Two Harbors since 2013, Wilderness Health aims to create a unified and supportive network for its members through its core values of collaboration, independence, networking, and quality. 

Wilderness Health Members: 

• Bigfork Valley Hospital 
• Community Memorial Hospital
• Cook Hospital 
• Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital
• Fairview Range / Range Regional Health Services 
• Grand Itasca Clinic & Hospital
• Aspirus Lake View
• North Shore Health
• Aspirus St. Luke’s