Essentia Health-Fosston Public Hearing

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) will hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. on Jan. 30, 2024, on Essentia Health-Fosston’s closure of its labor and delivery services unit.

According to the submission filed by Essentia Health, labor and delivery services have been diverted to St. Mary’s Regional Health Center, an Essentia facility in Detroit Lakes. Essentia Health-Fosston will continue to provide prenatal and postpartum obstetrics services.

More information is available in the MDH news release: Public hearing set for January 30 on closure of Essentia Health-Fosston labor and delivery services.

• Hospital name: Essentia Health-Fosston
• Hospital owner: Essentia Health
• Hospital location: Fosston, Minnesota
• Proposed service change: Closure of Essentia Health-Fosston’s labor and delivery services unit.
• Public hearing date and time: Jan. 30, 2024, at 6 p.m. (via Teams)

The Minnesota Department of Health serves as a facilitator to ensure there is public discussion and engagement for any proposed closure, reduction of services or relocation of services for a hospital or hospital campus as outlined in Minnesota Statutes Section 144.555.

This statute gives MDH the authority to hold the meeting and to inform the public but not to change, delay or prevent the proposed changes, closures or relocations.

Call information

• Date: Jan. 30, 2024
• Time: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Central Time

Click here to join the call.

You can also call in using a phone. Call the phone number provided below and enter the access code.

• Audio-only call: +1-651-395-7448
• Phone Conference ID: 410 817 281#

Need help?

• Microsoft Support: Join a meeting in Teams

Captioning services are being provided for attendees within the Teams interface. Detailed instructions for using the captions are available on Microsoft's website: Use live captions in a Teams meeting.

If you are unable to use captions through Teams, they are also available to view in your browser through this link once the meeting begins: MNDOH: Real Time Text.

Call documents

Presentation slides will be posted prior to the call. A transcript of the hearing will be posted on this page 7-10 business days after the call.

• Presentation Slides: 2024-01-30 Essentia Health Fosston Closure of Labor and Delivery Services Presentation (PDF)
• Transcript: 2024-01-30 Essentia Health Fosston Closure of Labor and Delivery Services Transcript (PDF)

Submit a comment or question

If you have a comment or question about the proposed changes, you can share it by filling out the form at the link below until 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 31, 2024.

Comments and questions will be shared with Essentia Health and will be answered during the hearing.

• Essentia Health-Fosston Closure of Labor and Delivery Public Hearing Comments