Community discussion insights

Essentia Health would like to stay in Fosston and is working in good faith through the arbitration process that begins with the city in July.

Every day, Essentia Health-Fosston serves people with diverse health care needs. As we discuss the future of care locally, Essentia believes all voices deserve to be heard and respected. Here is how we have engaged the community over the last few months:

• In April, we surveyed the community on key health care topics through a third-party survey company.
• We have held several meetings with our colleagues to listen, answer questions and ensure our collective focus on continued high-quality patient care.
• At Fosston High School on May 15, we gathered the community for a listening session on the future of care in the area. At the community listening session, we shared the results of our survey. We also gathered in small discussion groups to solicit questions and share feedback. When we reconnected as one large group, we agreed to report back to the community on key themes that were addressed and provide answers as we are able.

About the community survey

We want to hear from the people most affected by the situation involving Essentia and the City of Fosston. That’s why we commissioned a survey conducted by a third-party company, to better understand residents’ feelings about local health care. We wanted to hear their thoughts on several unique scenarios, including how people felt about different leaders or organizations making health care decisions for the community.

The survey allowed Essentia to hear a broader view of opinions and experiences.

The survey was sent directly to randomly chosen people in the community and results were collected anonymously. The data-collection process was secure, allowing for only one submission to calculate into the final response per survey-taker.

Some community members questioned why Essentia didn’t identify itself as the organization behind the survey. The reason is because “blind” survey taking is the best practice in research to reduce bias and ensure the data collected is reliable and as candid as possible.

Once the survey was complete. Essentia acknowledged its role in the process and shared key findings.

Key findings from community survey

Experience with Essentia

• 85% of past patients at Essentia Health-Fosston were satisfied with their experience — 53% were very satisfied.

• More than 80% of survey takers rated the quality of Essentia’s health care as either excellent, good or fair.

View on Fosston potentially transitioning to new health care system

• 52% are unsure if they would support Essentia Health-Fosston transitioning to a new system.
  

On the relocation of labor and delivery services

• 49% are concerned with the relocation of labor and delivery services.

Essentia’s colleague meetings

Essentia leaders have hosted several meetings, both in-person and virtually, to communicate with our colleagues about the dispute with the city, answer their questions and listen to feedback.

Feedback from employee meetings: Essentia is committed to communicating with and listening to our colleagues. What we know is Essentia employees are passionate about our presence in Fosston. They have a strong interest in working together to meet the needs of the community where they live and work.

Essentia employees understandably have questions about how a transition to another provider would occur given the complexity of health care today, especially rural health care. Many wonder how change could impact them or their patients.

All Essentia employees are focused on continuing to provide the highest quality care to the patients we’re honored to serve.

Employee questions

• Essentia has committed to regular communication with employees about the ongoing dispute with the city.

• While there are some questions we can’t answer because of the arbitration process, Essentia is committed to transparency. If a transition to a new provider takes place, it would likely happen over the course of a year. The city and new provider would share their transition plan, answer critical questions about employment and detail any known changes in access to care so providers can begin discussions with patients.

• Essentia would like to stay in Fosston and continue providing care to the community. We are working in good faith through the arbitration process that begins with the city in July.

Community listening session in Fosston

The May 15 community listening session at Fosston High School raised a number of important topics and insights. We’re sharing those here by topic, along with community feedback and information Essentia presented as part of the discussion.

Topic: Recruiting and retaining local health care professionals

Community feedback: Community members gathered voiced strong interest in ensuring high-quality health care was delivered locally by well-trained providers with access to specialty care.

Essentia insights on recruiting and retaining staff

• Essentia would like to continue to serve Fosston as a respected health care provider and large employer.

• We understand the importance of access to well-trained, locally based providers and we responsibly manage our presence in Fosston to ensure the availability and sustainability of expert care and specialty services.

• Rural health care is confronting numerous challenges, including recruitment and retention of providers. Only 12% of all medical students pursue family medicine and just 10% of physicians practice in a rural community.

• Among the ways Essentia addresses this challenge is by investing in training and education. Our recruitment of providers is enhanced by several innovative programs, including a family medicine residency program, our OB fellowship — the only one of its kind in Minnesota — and partnering with the University of Minnesota on a general surgery rural residency.

• Essentia also invests $300,000 annually to maintain EMS in Fosston and enhance access to emergency care.

• The challenges we face are not unique to us, but Essentia is uniquely positioned to meet them with the resources our entire system can provide.

Topic: Providing labor and delivery services at Essentia Health St. Mary’s-Detroit Lakes

Community feedback: Community members want to better understand why Essentia relocated labor and delivery services to Detroit Lakes, how that process works and how patients are impacted.

Essentia insights on maternal care 

• Essentia is committed to providing high-quality OB care close to home for our Fosston patients. Today, fewer than half of rural counties in the U.S. have hospital services for delivering babies. 

• Essentia uses a “shared care” model to ensure seamless high-quality patient care. In Fosston, we provide prenatal obstetric care for patients locally while simultaneously building a relationship with a delivery site clinician at key points in the pregnancy.

• The shared care approach to labor and delivery reflects guidance from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which advocates for a well-trained team of caregivers. This team should include physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, anesthetists and other supporting roles. Teams must have emergency response training, provide 24/7 coverage and respond to C-section emergencies within 20 minutes.
  

• In 2021, Fosston averaged 1-2 births per week. Most recently, in 2023, Detroit Lakes averaged 10.

Topic: The importance of specialty services to Fosston patients

Community feedback: Community listening session discussion highlighted the importance of specialty services being available locally. Many people asked about the future of those services under a new system. Those are important questions for city leaders to address if a transition occurs.
Currently, Essentia Health-Fosston provides a robust level of specialty care in the community, including:

• Advanced imaging and radiology (MRI, CT and mammography)
• Audiology
• Anesthesiology
• Cardiology and cardiac rehabilitation
• Chemotherapy, immunotherapy and infusion therapy
• Diabetes education
• Dietitian (inpatient)
• Emergency medicine
• Family medicine
• General surgery
• Gynecology and gynecologic surgery
• Hospice care
• Home health care
• Lab services
• Mental health counseling
• Oncology/cancer care
• Orthopedics and orthopedic surgery
• Physical and occupational therapy
• Podiatry and podiatric surgery
• Prenatal and postnatal OB care
• Tobacco cessation care
• Transitional care
• Urology

Topic: Ongoing community investment in Fosston

Community feedback: Essentia needs to do a better job of communicating and building local understanding of all the investments made in the community.

Essentia insights on community investment

At Essentia, our mission is to make a healthy difference in people’s lives and in our community. We engage in and support meaningful community initiatives because our mission extends beyond the walls of our facilities.

Here are some examples of community contributions from Essentia:

Prairie Pines Childcare Center: Essentia has contributed $45,000 since 2021
Fosston track restoration: $10,000 grant awarded in 2023
Pickleball courts: $7,500 grant awarded in 2023
Fosston Police mentorship program: $6,000 grant awarded in 2022
Ignite Youth Center: $5,000 grant awarded in 2022

Essentia is also involved in community health and partnering with Fosston nonprofits and community groups to make a healthy difference in the lives of youth and community members.

Essentia provides sponsorships to youth sports and other organizations to contribute to a vibrant community where we live and work.

Topic: How the community and Essentia can move forward after arbitration in July

Community feedback: Essentia needs to communicate more directly with the community and collaborate to provide solutions to challenges.

Essentia insights: As an employer and as a care provider, Essentia has deep roots in this community. Together, we can move forward with our shared commitment to promote a healthier Fosston, where people choose to live, work and invest.

We know that most people are unsure about a possible transition of the Fosston hospital to a new health system or transferring to local control with oversight by the city. We found that more than half of the people surveyed in April are unsure if they would support Essentia Health-Fosston transitioning to a new health system.

That’s understandable considering the complexity and uncertainty of the arbitration process, and what the outcome would look like for health care in Fosston.

Our patients have been and continue to be our highest priority. We look forward to working alongside you to continue strengthening health care in Fosston.

Contribute your feedback to the community discussion

As we move forward together,our patients continue to be our highest priority. Share your thoughts with us by emailing [email protected].