100 Most Influential People in Healthcare - 2020

In May, Allina Health was already overrun by COVID patients. The state had reported more than 1,000 related deaths when violent protests erupted following the death of George Floyd. Wheeler signed a letter written by local chief executives denouncing racism. Five days earlier, hundreds of healthcare workers rallied at the state capitol to protest the firings of two union stewards who had opposed unsafe conditions at an Allina Health hospital. Wheeler said the system had gone to more than 500 different sources to find PPE. In August, Allina and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota signed a six-year value-based payment agreement that aimed to reduce costs at Allina Health by 10% over five years.