AMEN TO THAT!!!! It’s a building full of clinic. This will be nothing but a glorified Urgent Care. God forbid someone should have a real medical emergency requiring them to actually be admitted. The EMS people will be loving this, though. Just like the Urgency Room in Woodbury. Dumb.

You’re right. I work in nursing, so clearly I “don’t have a clue.” There are 3 other hospitals with full emergency rooms, (Methodist, Maple Grove, and North Memorial – Level I trauma center) all within a 10-mile radius of West Health (which is not a hospital). If a patient is critically ill, I would think they’d rather be transported or go to an actual HOSPITAL where they can receive full-on care. I’m sure Allina did come up with a benefit analysis so they can use their own transportation company to transport these patients to real hospitals and get $$$ that way as well. With 3 perfectly capable EDs all within that area, there is not point to building this and having it attached to a medical office building.

Yes you are correct that in the northwest North Memorial is a force. Allina wants their patients to go to their facilities. It is protecting their bottom line. Allina has numerous small hospitals in the metro area to feed into Abbot and United. The northwest metro area has a hole in their coverage.The cost of treating patient’s under their health plans at non Allina facilities under emergency situations must be great enough that it is worth their while to set this up. It is servicing their patient in the most economical manner. Your last line is the point of it for Allina