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– DO NOT FORWARD OUTSIDE OF MAYO CLINIC

This message is being sent to all Albert Lea and Austin staff on behalf of Dr. Bobbie Gostout and Dr. Mark Ciota.
Colleagues,
After many months of careful data gathering, analysis and review of our services in Albert Lea and Austin, we’re now at a point to be able to share plans for the future state on both campuses at Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea and Austin. These plans have been vetted and approved throughout the Southeast Minnesota region and Mayo Clinic Health System governing bodies. The changes to the Albert Lea and Austin campuses will take place over time, probably several years, as further planning and remodeling will be needed.  Project details will continue to be developed throughout 2017, and changes to services will gradually occur during the remainder of 2017 and will likely continue through 2020.
As we’ve mentioned several times over the last year, both campuses will continue to function as top-tier medical centers. Through careful analysis, it has been determined that more than 95% of our services are delivered on an outpatient basis. These are the things that people think of when they say they want to receive care locally: primary care; pediatrics and pregnancy care; specialty care; emergency room; pharmacy; radiology and laboratory services. The most commonly used services will continue to be available in both Albert Lea and Austin.
Fewer than 5% of our services are delivered in an inpatient setting:  hospitalization for serious illness or injury; ICU; childbirth services; major surgeries requiring hospitalization. Thankfully, most people may only need these services a few times over the course of a lifetime. We are focusing our efforts to keep these services available within 30 minutes for most of our patients.
To make the best use of our resources and to be able to continue to provide safe, high-quality care for our patients, the 5% of care we deliver in the inpatient (hospital) setting will be located on our Austin campus. This includes medical, surgical and pediatric hospital care, labor and delivery, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and inpatient surgeries. Keeping most inpatient care on the Austin campus will allow us to offer higher levels of care and testing options to patients and make the best use of capital resources by staffing single, larger units and avoiding duplication of expensive equipment and technology.
A detailed facilities analysis showed that the Austin campus offered the best layout for the expansion of hospital rooms, a larger Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and room for additional growth, making it the right choice for housing all of these services in one location. Albert Lea’s campus will continue to offer primary and specialty care, emergency care, pregnancy care, radiology, lab, pharmacy and other frequently used services. In addition, the Albert Lea hospital will house our inpatient behavioral health (PSU) and addiction services.
Making the best use of staff and capital resources is particularly important in today’s competitive health care environment. By adjusting our services across both campuses, we’ll be able to offer higher levels of care to patients in larger, state-of-the-art units. We’ll be able to invest more in the latest technology and equipment because we won’t be staffing and equipping two identical units in neighboring communities. We anticipate higher staff satisfaction and greater opportunities to recruit and retain physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants, and nurses due to less call coverage and more staff to share the workload.
The changes to the Albert Lea and Austin campuses will take place over time, probably several years, as remodeling will be needed. The first phase will involve moving all Intensive Care Unit (ICU) services to the Austin campus in October of 2017, and consolidating most inpatient surgeries on the Austin campus in early 2018. Also in 2018, work will continue to expand ICU services in Austin and to remodel the Albert Lea campus to accommodate inpatient behavioral health and addiction services. Throughout 2018 and 2019, remodeling projects will create more space for medical/surgical/pediatric services and childbirth services on the Austin campus.
Changes in staffing models will need to occur on both campuses. Flexibility will be needed, and some staff may have to consider changes in their primary location or roles. We value each and every one of you and are grateful for the commitment you’ve shown to each other and to our patients. We will do all we can to make the transitions as smooth as possible.
We know that change is hard, and we are asking our staff, patients and communities to adjust to a new way of delivering and receiving care. I-90 leaders will be meeting with government leaders and key community groups and organizations to openly discuss these changes over the next few weeks and months to ensure our communities understand what is changing and why. Mayo Clinic Health System is building a viable and affordable system of care with the future of our patients in mind. This will require change for our staff, patients and community partners.
Our leadership team will be available for staff listening sessions where you are welcome to ask questions about any of these changes on the following dates and times:

Date

Time

Locations

Wednesday, June 14

7 a.m.

Albert Lea – Foundation Board Room
Austin – Knowlton Board Room

Thursday, June 15

7 a.m.

Albert Lea – Foundation Board Room
Austin – Knowlton Board Room

Friday, June 16

7 a.m.

Albert Lea – Foundation Board Room
Austin – Classroom 3

Friday, June 16

Noon

Albert Lea – Foundation Board Room
Austin – Classroom 3

Resources are available on the Albert Lea and Austin intranet regarding these changes, including Key Messages and Frequently Asked Questions to help you prepare to discuss these changes with patients, family and friends. Please remember these documents are Business Confidential and should NOT be shared outside of Mayo Clinic.
We all have a personal stake in ensuring that the future of health care remains viable in both the Albert Lea and Austin communities, now and well into the future. Our family and friends depend on us to be there for them, and the proactive changes we are making will ensure we can fulfill that commitment. It’s been a difficult and time-consuming process to get to this point and we cannot thank you enough for your continued support during this time and in the coming months.
With many thanks,

Bobbie Gostout, M.D., Vice President, Mayo Clinic
Mark Koch, Chair of Administration, Mayo Clinic Health System
Mark Ciota, M.D., CEO, Albert Lea and Austin
Sumit Bhagra, M.D., Medical Director, Albert Lea and Austin
Kris Johnson, Associate Administrator, Albert Lea and Austin
Lori Routh, R.N., Nurse Administrator, Albert Lea and Austin
Tricia Dahl, Operations Administrator, Albert Lea and Austin

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The first phase will involve moving all Intensive Care Unit (ICU) services to the Austin campus in October of 2017, and consolidating most inpatient surgeries on the Austin campus in early 2018.

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Albert Lea Mayor Vern Rasmussen said he was disappointed with the hospital’s decision and declined further comment. He is employed as a physical therapist at the HealthReach campus of Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea.