DEED awards grant to train Essentia Health work force

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) awarded a $49,344 grant under its Minnesota Job Skills Partnership to train 70 workers at Essentia Health.

Essentia Health is an integrated health system serving patients in Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin and Idaho. Essentia employs more than 9,100 employees at locations throughout northeast Minnesota.

The grant will support a partnership between Essentia Health and the College of St. Scholastica. Seventy coding and clinical staff will be prepared to transition to a new and more detailed coding system for classifying diseases. Staff will participate in a 15-module training program, with each module centered on a specific disease system. The program will be offered online to accommodate work schedules.

“Essentia staff will be trained to implement new medical coding requirements, reducing the risk of improper coding and decreased productivity during the transition,” said DEED Commissioner Mark Phillips, in a news release. “This is the first time St. Scholastica has applied for these training funds, so we hope this opens the door to future customized training projects.”

For more information on the grant, contact JoAnne Axtell, grant proposal specialist, College of St. Scholastica, (218) 723-6185 or email jaxtell@css.edu.

MJSP offers technical, financial and job training assistance to businesses, communities, educational institutions and workers. The board brings businesses with specific education needs together with educational institutions to design customized training programs.

DEED is the state’s principal economic development agency, promoting business recruitment, expansion and retention, workforce development, international trade and community development. For more details about the agency and our services, visit us at www.PositivelyMinnesota.com. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PositivelyMN.