Sanford Health and Essentia Health are among the health systems adding ambulatory surgery center capacity in North Dakota as more procedures move out of hospitals, The Grand Forks Herald reported Nov. 6.
Sanford has entered a joint venture for an ASC in Grand Forks, according to Tiffany Lawrence, president and CEO of Sanford Fargo. The Sioux Falls, S.D.-based system is also converting inpatient areas into outpatient space, most notably at the Roger Maris Cancer Center in Fargo.
“This strategic approach allows us to capitalize on our existing real estate and resources while expanding our presence,” Ms. Lawrence said.
Duluth, Minn.-based Essentia is growing outpatient care through construction, acquisitions and partnerships, and it increasingly prefers joint ventures, said Joe Wendt, senior vice president of operations. The system is building ASCs and multispecialty hubs, buying centers and specialty practices, and partnering with physicians and operators, including Brightside Surgical in Bismarck.
Orthopedics leads the move to ASCs, especially total knee, hip and shoulder replacements, Mr. Wendt said. Spine, certain cardiovascular, minimally invasive gynecologic, ophthalmology and urology procedures are also shifting.
Rural leaders pointed to the financial risk. Mike Delfs, president and CEO of Jamestown (N.D.) Regional Medical Center, said that if too much procedure volume leaves the local hospital, it gets harder to keep emergency and inpatient services running.
“Rural healthcare policy needs to consider the sustainability of the entire local healthcare system, not simply the cost of an individual procedure,” Mr. Delfs said.
Pete Edis, CEO of Watford City, N.D.-based McKenzie Health, said the hospital still admits many total joint patients for one to three days, often because they live far from home health and physical therapy services.
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