Mayo closing 6 clinics in southern Minnesota, curtailing Albert Lea services

Mayo Clinic Strength System will close six of its southern Minnesota locations by Dec and scale back a few services at its Albert Lea campus it reported Monday The closures of the Northridge clinic in North Mankato and clinics in Belle Plaine Caledonia Montgomery St Peter and Wells are the consequence of ongoing efforts to strengthen rural strength care delivery and ensure safe high-quality and sustainable care for generations to come according to the Rochester-based medical system s press release Additionally outpatient surgeries and procedures in ophthalmology gynecology endoscopy orthopedics and podiatry will no longer be available at Mayo Clinic s hospital and clinic in Albert Lea Those services will instead be available at its Austin and Waseca campuses Albert Lea will continue to serve patients by providing outpatient surgical evaluations consultations and pre- and post-operative care the press release says MCHS cited staffing shortages and smaller client volumes national challenges for rural medicinal providers in its announcement These changes allow us to align care delivery with where we have the infrastructure staff and assistance needed to provide timely coordinated care stated Dr Karthik Ghosh vice president of Mayo Clinic Strength System Minnesota We recognize these decisions affect people and we are committed to supporting both our patients and staff throughout this transition MCHS has a frequently requested questions webpage for affected patients Affected staff members will get the wellness system s encouragement to explore their options handle the transition and plan for the future Between and MCHS closed at least of its clinics across the Upper Midwest In four years after the Austin and Albert Lea hospitals merged into one entity MCHS moved most of of Albert Lea s inpatient services to the Austin campus Related Articles -year-old bicyclist fatally struck last weekend in Coon Rapids Competition heats up for Coolest Thing Made in Minnesota as products remain Body recovered from Tetons lake is believe to be missing kayaker from St Paul bicyclists and killed in separate collisions in central Minnesota UMN function workers poised to begin striking over labor contract