Cuyuna Regional Medical Center announced plans for a $13 million state-of-the-art outpatient clinic and interior remodeling at its Crosby campus to meet the needs of its expanding orthopaedics and pain management services.
"To make room for the new clinic expected to open in fall 2020, underutilized areas of the Care Center will be consolidated and the Cancer Care Center and Rehabilitation departments will be relocated for patient convenience," CRMC reported in a news release.
The new clinic will provide more space for expanding orthopaedics and pain services and a new spine surgeon. The Minnesota Center for Orthopaedics, led by Dr. Erik Severson, has two new surgeons-Dr. Jonathan Herseth, who specializes in sports medicine; and Dr. Susan Moen, specializing in hands, who joined the staff in the fall of 2016. All Minnesota Center for Orthopaedics surgeons are Fellowship trained. CRMC reports additional physicians and advanced practice providers will be needed in the future as orthopaedic procedures are projected to increase by over 400 percent in the next 12 to 15 years.
CRMC opened its Pain Management Clinic in September 2016 when Fellowship trained pain specialist and board-certified anesthesiologist Joshua Horowitz joined its medical staff. A Fellowship-trained spine surgeon will begin practicing at CRMC in 2020 offering a needed new service to area residents.
In addition to the above, factors that led to the new center's location included the need for more convenient patient access as well as the continued trend of declining census in CRMC's Care Center, CRMC stated. The Care Center is licensed for 113 beds but the average daily census has declined by 30 percent over the last decade and is now in the low 80s.
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"This decline is part of a state-wide trend and is expected to continue in the future. As part of the project, the Care Center will be updated and reorganized to meet an expected future need of 75 beds. However, no residents will be displaced and no staff will lose their jobs," CRMC reported.
"By right-sizing the Care Center, CRMC can make better use of space to meet the area's health care needs," stated CEO Kyle Bauer.
Bauer stated nursing homes are no longer the first choice of individuals discharged from hospitals. He said there is a growing number of alternatives for patients and the availability of home care, either through private insurance or government sources, has allowed individuals to return to their home settings with appropriate care.
"Moreover, the growth of the assisted living industry has allowed those who do not require highly skilled nursing care to choose a less intensive alternative," CRMC reported. "The more homelike, less institutional environments of many assisted living facilities, coupled with their lower cost, have made them attractive to people who have this choice of settings. CRMC is a partner with Presbyterian Homes in operating Heartwood Senior Living Community which offers independent and assisted living apartments and memory care suites."
"We are committed to continue providing high quality care and services to our residents through every phase of construction and will personally work with each of our residents and their families," said Nancy Stratman, senior services administrator. "Throughout this process we will be taking steps to assure the continuity of our caregivers so that residents experience as little disruption to their lives as possible."
Construction will begin on the two-year project soon after the current Transitional Care Unit is relocated, CRMC reported, adding improvements planned for the Care Center include a centralized nursing station for better resident flow and staff efficiency, a new entrance, a new dining room and remodeled resident rooms. Throughout the construction, several services will be moved, however, CRMC plans to communicate changes well in advance to lessen the disruption.
