Daniel K. Zismer, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and and Director of the Master in Healthcare Administration Program
- PhD (1982) University of Minnesota, Minneapolis Campus Major: Health Psychology (Concentration in Cardiovascular Health Behavior) Pre-doctoral Kellogg Fellow Minor: Health Services Management
- BA (1975) Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minnesota Majors: Psychology and Criminal Justice; Cum Laude
Courses
Fall 2012
PUBH 6563 Integrated Delivery Systems (Section 001)
PUBH 6570 Topics: Healthcare Admin (Section 001)
PUBH 6570 Topics: Healthcare Admin (Section 200)
Research Interests:
Dr. Zismer comes to the University of Minnesota, School of Public Health and the ISP program with a 25-year history on the provider side of health care delivery. Most recently he served on the Senior Leadership Team of Essentia Health; a multi state health system headquartered in Duluth, Minnesota. The largest component of Essentia Health is SMDC, an integrated health system with $800 million in annual operating revenues. SMDC is an integrated health system with nearly 400 employed physicians across most clinical specialties. Essentia Health also includes operating assets, integrated delivery models and physician partnerships in North Dakota, Montana and Wisconsin. It owns an interest in a multi-state long-term care delivery system as well. Dr. Zismer assisted in the formation of Essentia while serving as Managing Principal of Dorsey Health Strategies, Dorsey and Whitney, Minneapolis, Minnesota. In addition to his operations experience, Dr. Zismer has led a sizable number of large-scale health systems and medical practice integrations as well as specialty-focused hospital/physician partnerships and joint venture formations. He is a regular lecturer for the American College of Health Care Executives, Child Health Corporation and Voluntary Hospitals of America. He has served as visiting faculty for the Physician Leadership College, St. Thomas University. He maintains consulting and advisory relationships with Essentia Health as well as with several other large U.S. Health Systems. He has a special interest in executive and physician leadership education and development. Dr. Zismer's health systems research interests focus principally on the operating economics and value creation of integrated health systems.
Mailing Address:
Health Policy and Management
420 Delaware Street SE, MMC 729
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Phone (Work): 625-5148
Email: zisme006@umn.edu
Selected Publications:
Zismer, D.K. “The Psychology of Organizational Structure in Integrated Health Systems,” PEJ (Physician Executive Journal of Medical Management), May/June 2011.
Zismer, D.K. “Reshaping Director’s Views and Efforts in a Reforming Healthcare Marketplace,” Boardroom Press, April, 2011, The Governance Institute.
Zismer, D.K. “Editorial, Is the Independent, Private Medical Practice Losing It’s Gravitational Pull?” Group Practice Journal, July/August 2011.
Zismer, D.K. “Questions the Emerging Practicing Physician Should Ask When Considering Employment by an Integrated Health System,” PEJ, November/December 2010, Volume 36, Issue 6.
Zismer, D.K., Proschel, S. “Understanding the Quality of Earnings for Integrated Health Systems,” Healthcare Financial Management, December 2009.
Zismer, D.K., McCullough, J., Person, P.E., Renier, C., Knutson, D. “Integrated Healthcare Economics, Part 1: “Are Specialty Physician Services Revenues Reliable Predictors of Community Health Systems Financial Performance?” PEJ, May/June 2009, Volume 35, Issue 3.
Zismer, D.K., McCullough, J., Person, P.E. “Integrated Healthcare Economics, Part 2: Understanding the Revenue Drivers in Fully Integrated Health Systems,” PEJ, July/August 2009, Volume 35, Issue 4.
Zismer, D.K., Brueggemann, J. “Examining the Dyad as an Integrated Health Systems,” PEJ, January/February, 2010, Volume 36, Issue 1.
Zismer, D.K. “Will the Invisible Hand Work in U.S. Healthcare? A Challenge to Non-Profit Boards,” E-Briefings, V6N4, July 2009, The Governance Institute.
Zismer, D.K. “Finding Economic Leverage in the Fully Integrated Health System Model,” Group Practice Journal, Volume 58, Number 5, May 2009.
Professional Experience:
2007 to Present: Associate Professor, Division of Health Policy and Management, and Director of the Master in Healthcare Administration Program, University of Minnesota 2006 to 2007
Executive Vice President Essentia Health and President, Essentia Health Services 2004-2006
Executive Vice President Essentia Health and Chief Administrative Officer, SMDC 2001-2004
Managing Director, Dorsey Health Strategies, Minneapolis, Minnesota 1999-2001
Senior Executive, Allina Cardiovascular Services 1997-1999
Principal and National Practice Leader for health systems consulting, Towers Perrin, Minneapolis, Minnesota (acquired Partners Consulting Group) 1986-1997
Co-founder, Director and CEO of Partners Consulting Group, Minneapolis, Minnesota 1982-1985
Assistant Executive Director, Health Services Research Center, Park Nicollet Medical Foundation, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Honors:
Rho Chi National Honor Society Identified by Minnesota Physician as one of Minnesota's 100 "Most Influential Health Care Leaders"; August 1993, 1982-1989