Star Tribune
Essentia Health wins arbitration dispute over control of Fosston, Minn. hospital
The medical center is owned by a local nonprofit, but operated by Duluth-based Essentia under an affiliation agreement that dates back to 2009.
With the ruling announced Wednesday, Essentia Health says it will continue to operate the hospital, clinic, assisted-living and long-term care facilities in Fosston, plus clinics in Bagley and Oklee.
“Now that the arbitration process is over, Essentia is focused on the opportunity to engage our patients, colleagues and the community in building a shared vision for the future of health care in Fosston,” said Dr. Stefanie Gefroh, interim president of Essentia Health’s West Market, in a statement.
Arbitrators were asked to rule on whether Essentia eliminated a “core” service by discontinuing deliveries, since the city of Fosston would then have the right to terminate the affiliation agreement. But the panel in a 2-1 vote concluded that labor and delivery is just one aspect of obstetrics (OB).
“OB is a ‘core’ service under the agreement, encompassing labor and delivery as part of comprehensive care for pregnant women,” the ruling states. “Simply put, while the delivery of the baby is an essential component, it is not the sole care provided to a pregnant woman.”
Fosston officials, including the town’s mayor, were involved in the arbitration because the city has a legal connection to the nonprofit owner of the medical center, which historically was a municipal hospital.
Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters marched in Minneapolis on Sunday as part of worldwide demonstrations on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the Israel-Hamas war. The protests come as Israel has intensified its airstrikes in northern Gaza and southern Lebanon.
Protesters in Minneapolis carried signs depicting the flag of Palestine as they marched through the city streets. The demonstration was organized by American Muslims for Palestine-Minnesota. Across the world, pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli protests and memorial events took place Sunday in Berlin, London and elsewhere.
Monday will mark a year since Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 people in Israel and took another 250 hostage in a surprise attack that shocked the world. Since then Israeli forces have staged an aggressive assault of the Gaza Strip that has left more than 41,000 Palestinians dead, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
A National Park Service ranger died on Sunday as he tried to rescue a family who had become stranded on an island in Voyageurs National Park.
St. Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsay said in a phone call that the ranger was attempting to rescue a father and his two children and encountered dangerous conditions on Namakan Lake. Strong winds whipped up waves that reached between 5 and 6 feet.
“The boat flipped in the waves,” Ramsay said, and the ranger, a sworn law enforcement officer, died. The family survived the incident.
“Our hearts go out to our National Park Service rangers and their loss as well as the ranger who died in the line of duty today,” he added.
Ramsay said he did not know the exact time of the attempted rescue, and said a statement would be sent out shortly with more details on the incident.
Photos: Pro-Palestinian activists march in Minneapolis
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