Joint effort for new Devils Lake hospital underway

A letter of intent that could pave the way for a new hospital project in Devils Lake was made official during a signing ceremony on Wednesday.

Essentia Health is partnering with Altru….the City of Devils Lake…and Spirit Lake Tribe with the goal of creating a new medical campus on land near the current Walmart building.

Essentia’s Dr. Bill Heegaard told D-L leaders this week that the goal is to develop a different way to deliver health care in the region.  Heegaard says the LOI is really the first step in what could be a groundbreaking partnership. “Collaborating on a transformational public-private partnership such as this, which will improve health outcomes throughout the Lake Region, is a terrific opportunity for us to advance our mission of making a healthy difference in people’s lives.”

“Altru is deeply committed to the Lake Region and to improving care for the residents we serve,” shared Altru CEO Todd Forkel. “This collaborative approach and a focus on high-quality, patient-first care is the right path forward for the future of health care in Devils Lake. We are proud to work alongside Essentia, the City of Devils Lake and Spirit Lake Nation to advance these efforts.”

The parties agree to work towards an August 2027 target date for completion of the hospital project.

Dr. Heegaard address DL Commission