Byline: JACKIE CROSBY; STAFF WRITER
Sanford Health has extended its reach into Minnesota after finalizing a yearlong effort to merge with Bemidji-based North Country Health Services, the largest provider of health care in its region.
Sanford, a rapidly expanding health system with headquarters in Fargo, N.D., and Sioux Falls, S.D., already has extensive operations in Minnesota, and has run a stand-alone clinic adjacent to North Country Regional Hospital for decades.
When the agreement takes effect March 1, North Country's acute care hospital, assisted living apartments, medical equipment company, and home care and hospice operations will fall under a new Sanford Bemidji banner.
'It's breadth and depth,' said Andrew Richburg, executive vice president of marketing for Sanford. 'You have the opportunity to eliminate a lot of duplication and create a more seamless experience for the patient.'
As part of the merger, Sanford Health will invest $70 million in resources over the next decade and will make an immediate $5 million gift to the North Country Health Services Foundation.
Sanford plans to expand care for cancer, heart disease, orthopedic and sports injuries and women's health. The organization operates clinics in Walker, Blackduck and Red Lake. Adding a hospital and senior services will make Bemidji into a more robust regional health care hub, reducing the need for residents to travel to Fargo, St. Cloud and the Twin Cities for care, Richburg said.
'No one wants to spend three hours in the car to get their medical care.'
The deal solidifies Sanford Health as the dominant provider in northwestern Minnesota. With annual revenue in 2010 of $2.1 billion, Sanford already is the nation's largest nonprofit provider of rural health care.
A $400 million gift from St. Paul native Denny Sanford in 2007 has driven growth in recent years in the area of children's health care.
Jackie Crosby - 612-673-7335
