MILLE LACS HEALTH SYSTEM

MILLE LACS HEALTH SYSTEM (MLHS) IS A RURAL HEALTH SYSTEM LOCATION IN ONAMIA, MN, 80 MILES NORTH OF THE TWIN CITIES AREA NEAR LAKE MILLE LACS. OUR SYSTEM INCLUDES A 18-BED ACUTE CARE HOSPITAL, A 57-BED LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY, A 10-BED SENIOR CARE FACILITY, HOME CARE, HOSPICE, A BLS AND ALS AMBULANCE SERVICE, AS WELL AS AN ATTACHED MEDICAL CLINIC. MLHS ALSO OPERATES MEDICAL CLINICS IN THE TOWNS OF ISLE, HILLMAN, GARRISON, AND MILACA. OUR MEDICAL STAFF ALSO PROVIDES COVERAGE TO THE NE-IA-SHING CLINIC ON THE NEARBY MILLE LACS RESERVATION. THE HEALTH SYSTEM IS ORGANIZED AS A 501(C)(3) NONPROFIT CORPORATION. DUE TO THE LACK OF AVAILABLE HEALTHCARE OPTIONS IN THIS CENTRAL MINNESOTA REGION, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS DESIGNATED THIS COMMUNITY AS A MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED AREA IN TERMS OF PRIMARY CLINICS.THE REMOTENESS OF HEALTHCARE SERVICES TO THE MILLE LACS COMMUNITIES IN THE 1950'S PROMPTED AN AREA-WIDE COMMUNITY EFFORT TO BUILD A HOSPITAL. THE HOSPITAL WAS COMPLETED IN 1956 AND, FIVE YEARS LATER A NURSING HOME WAS BUILT ADJACENT TO IT. OVER THE YEARS, THE FACILITIES HAVE BEEN EXPANDED AND MODERNIZED AND RENAMED SEVERAL TIMES. IN 1995, AN AMBITIOUS BUILDING PROJECT AND INTEGRATION EFFORT, WHICH INCLUDED A NEW HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM, REHABILITATION CENTER, AND CLINIC SPACE WERE COMPLETED. THIS BUILDING PROJECT WAS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH NEARLY A HALF MILLION DOLLARS WHICH WERE RAISED LOCALLY. IN 2001, A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR EXPANSION AND RENOVATION PROJECT WAS STARTED TO FURTHER UPGRADE THE HOSPITAL AND LONG-TERM CARE SERVICES AND POSITION US TO MEET THE GROWING HEALTHCARE NEEDS OF THE AREA.MILLE LACS HEALTH SYSTEM SERVES A PERMANENT POPULATION BETWEEN 15,000 AND 20,000, INCLUDING RESIDENTS OF THE MILLE LACS RESERVATION. BECAUSE OF THE RECREATIONAL FEATURES OF THE MILLE LACS AREA, MLHS ALSO SERVES A NUMBER OF SEASONAL RESIDENTS. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT DURING THE BUSY SUMMER AND HOLIDAY WEEKEND THERE ARE UP TO AN ADDITIONAL 25,000 PEOPLE IN THE AREA. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON STATISTICS FROM LOCAL RESORTS, MOTELS, AND CAMPGROUNDS. THE CLOSEST ACUTE CARE FACILITY IS 28 MILES AWAY IN PRINCETON. THE CLOSEST TERTIARY CARE FACILITY IS 55 MILES AWAY IN ST. CLOUD. THE CLOSEST SECONDARY LEVEL IS 50 MILES AWAY IN BRAINERD. MLHS IS THE ONLY PROVIDER OF ACUTE CARE WITHIN OUR PRIMARY SERVICE AREA OF ONAMIA, HILLMAN, ISLE, GARRISON, AND WAHKON, WHICH INCLUDES THE MILLE LACS RESERVATION.MILLE LACS HEALTH SYSTEM ALSO SERVES PATIENTS OUTSIDE THE PRIMARY SERVICES AREA. THE SECONDARY SERVICE AREA INCLUDES MORA, BOCK, MILACA, AND OGILVIE.