Commitment to Healthcare Drives Quality of Life in Wadena County

Hospitals and clinics are drivers of economic growth and sustainable well-being in communities nationwide. Their significance is especially vital as essential elements to rural economies and the residents dependent on them.

“Hospitals and healthcare are critical to communities, beginning with quality services residents need, to the economic impact they drive through job creation within and at surrounding businesses, helping to raise the quality of life for all,” said Kim Aagard, CFO at Astera Health. 

November 21 is National Rural Health Day and a perfect time to recognize healthcare providers’ essential role in rural communities. To combat the fact that 80% of rural America is underserved medically, as stated by the National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation (NIHCM), community leaders, government and nonprofit organizations and businesses typically collaborate to ensure healthcare can be brought to the people that need it.

Quality healthcare 

Astera Health presents a success story as the primary healthcare provider for Wadena County, MN, with a main campus just outside the city of Wadena and clinics in Sebeka, Verndale and Wadena. Astera is the largest employer in the area, with close to 500 employees and is celebrating its centennial year of service in 2025. The main campus includes a new 125,900 square-foot hospital opened in March 2023 to offer quality care through new technology and increased efficiency. Perhaps the most significant benefit of the new hospital is the presence of larger surgery suites that offer room to accommodate technology, such as robotic medical devices. Physical spacing at the previous location, such as low ceilings and tight walls, made optimum functions increasingly difficult as time passed.

“We found the cost of retrofitting a fifty-year-old building was similar to constructing new,” said Aagard. “And the cost of doing nothing threatened our existence as a provider, as we would have been forced to peel away services.”

The new building's design allows for more efficient use of space, with 16 beds in the middle of three departments. Surgery is located on one side, utilizing the rooms by day, and the emergency room is on the other, allowing access to rooms throughout the night. In-patient services populate the rooms throughout the entire day. 

Additionally, in partnership with CentraCare, a Cancer Center is under construction as a 15,350-square-foot addition to the main campus. The nearly $24 million project will bring infusion, radiation oncology, and supportive care to the region by mid-2025. 

“While we provide limited cancer services today, the Cancer Center’s additional capabilities will fill a big gap in services for central Minnesota, as individuals typically have to travel to St. Cloud, Brainerd or Fargo for the care they need,” she said.

Economic driver

Rural hospitals anchor the local economy, providing a foundation for continued development while ensuring nearby healthcare access. The American Hospital Association reports one hospital job supports about two additional jobs, and one dollar spent by a hospital supports roughly $2.30 of additional business activity. That impact in rural communities is amplified in rural areas that struggle to attract new talent by being a stabilizing influence to showcase long-term community investment potential, encouraging skilled professionals to stay and invest in the region.

“Constructing the new hospital in 2023 and the upcoming Cancer Center will increase regional jobs,” said Aagard. “Those jobs are filled by individuals who currently live or will move to the area, becoming customers of the various businesses in the community.”

Focus on Rural Healthcare

Astera Health is one tremendous asset for Wadena County. Other resources can offer assistance as well. In Minnesota, the Office of Rural Health and Primary Care works with policymakers, providers, and community leaders to ensure access to quality health care exists throughout the state. Nationally, the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) seeks to strengthen healthcare delivery in rural communities by addressing barriers, analyzing policy impacts and administering grant programs to build healthcare capacity.

West Central Economic Development Alliance strives to support a thriving community in Wadena County and the surrounding region. Visit www.thealliancemn.org or call 218-837-5950 if you are interested in assisting with addressing the challenges of rural healthcare.