Rural Hospitals will join forces to strengthen health care services in the region
(FERGUS FALLS and ELBOW LAKE, Minn.) – Lake Region Healthcare (LRH) in Fergus Falls and Prairie Ridge Hospital & Health Services (PRHHS) in Elbow Lake announced today an agreement has been reached to integrate the two health care systems.
The announcement was made official by the Board Chairpersons for each organization, Stephen Rufer at LRH and Gene Wenstrom at PRHHS. Integration is the third and final stage of a three-phase affiliation agreement between the two systems that started three years ago.
“We are excited to enter into this next stage with Prairie Ridge because we know it’s going to help both organizations provide even better healthcare services and provide them more efficiently for our communities,” said Rufer.
According to LRH CEO, Larry Schulz, “This is a natural progression in our long-term partnership that will bring opportunities for expanded services and specialists to PRHHS and strengthen both systems amidst the significant changes and challenges surrounding the delivery of affordable health care services.”
“LRH has been a great help in recruiting doctors and advanced practice providers to both our Elbow Lake and Morris campus and in providing visiting specialists to our hospital and clinics. We are pleased that this agreement will help expand services even more while keeping operations and oversight of PRHHS in the hands of our local hospital board," Wenstrom said.
The names and employment structures of each organization will remain unchanged as PRHHS will be operated as a subsidiary organization of LRH. LRH has over 900 employees and over 80 medical staff with outreach clinics in Ashby, Barnesville and Battle Lake. PRHHS has 125 employees and has clinics in Elbow Lake, Ashby, Evansville, Hoffman and Morris as well as a surgery center in Morris. The agreement goes into effect January 1, 2015.
About Lake Region Healthcare
Lake Region Healthcare is living out its vision to be Minnesota's preeminent regional healthcare partner. With over 80 medical staff and over 900 employees, its team is dedicated to serving its patients and community with integrity, teamwork, compassion and excellence. For more information about Lake Region Healthcare, visit www.lrhc.org.
About Prairie Ridge Hospital & Healthcare Services
Prairie Ridge Hospital and Health Services is a private, non-profit health care organization providing clinical and hospital services in several small rural communities. Bring specialty and sub-specialty physicians to the patients through a vision to lead collaborative efforts that improve the lives of the people they serve by providing quality healthcare and outstanding customer service.
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