Public hearing to be held on closure of Essentia Health-Fosston labor and delivery services
Jan. 21—FOSSTON, Minn. — The Minnesota Department of Health has scheduled a public hearing for 6 p.m. on Jan. 30 to discuss the closure of Essentia Health-Fosston's labor and delivery services unit, according to a press release.
The submission of the closure filed by Essentia Health said services have been redirected to St. Mary's Regional Health Center in Detroit Lakes, and Essentia Health-Fosston will continue providing prenatal and postpartum obstetrics services, the release said.
The hearing about the closure will be hosted by the Minnesota Department of Health's Health Regulation Division, and will provide a forum for Fosston residents to discuss this change. It will be held through Microsoft Teams. More information about how to join the hearing, as well as how to submit comments or questions beforehand, is available on the
Essentia Health-Fosston public hearing's webpage.
The Minnesota Legislature passed legislation in 2021 requiring a public notice and a public hearing before the closure of a hospital or a hospital campus, service relocation or cessation in offering certain services, the release said.
Fosston is a northwest Minnesota town with a population of approximately 1,400, located 69 miles east of Grand Forks.
