DL health care needs a boost

The future of health care in Devils Lake received a checkup during a meeting with U.S. Senator John Hoeven this week.

Hoeven says the way to improve health care access and attract more staff is for providers to step up and commit to making investments in the community. He also urged the corporate management of CHI St. Alexus Hospital to be a part of the solution.

In July 2021 Altru Health explored a possible purchase of the St. Alexius hospital and held a series of listening sessions. Last October the Devils Lake Commission endorsed a Letter of Intent with Altru…Essentia Health…and the Spirit Lake Nation for a new medical campus in the city. The Letter of Intent expressed a target date of August 2027 for completion of the hospital project.

The senator plans to hold follow-up meetings with leaders from CHI, Altru and Essentia in the coming weeks to keep this process moving forward.