North Memorial Health Care Receives Approval for Maple Grove Health Care Campus
Survey shows North Memorial as most preferred builder for future hospital
(December 7, 2004) — North Memorial Health Care s plans for a Maple Grove health care campus were approved by the Maple Grove City Council at its Dec. 6 meeting. The campus plans were approved as part of a larger development plan, to be built at the intersection of Interstate 94 and future Highway 610, submitted to the Council by Ryan Companies. North Memorial’s site plan includes a future hospital as a part of its 30-acre campus.
"We appreciate the support of the Maple Grove City Council, and we re looking forward to getting started on the campus," says Dave Cress, Chief Operating Officer, North Memorial Health Care. Phase I of the North Memorial plan will be an outpatient health care campus, including a medical office building, an outpatient surgery center and emergency and urgent care services. Construction on Phase I will begin in 2005, with an anticipated opening date in early 2006. Phase II of the plan includes a community hospital—which must receive approval from the Minnesota state legislature. North Memorial has already submitted a request to build a hospital to the Minnesota Department of Health, which is the first step in receiving state approval for a future hospital.
Community prefers North Memorial
"We believe the Maple Grove area needs a hospital, and the time to begin planning that hospital is now," says Cress. “As part of our planning effort, we have surveyed local residents to ask their opinions about what health care services are needed in the Maple Grove Area, and their preferences about who provides these services.” The survey, conducted by an independent firm, shows that Maple Grove area residents are more familiar with North Memorial than any other hospital in the area; and among people stating a preference about who should build a hospital in Maple Grove, North Memorial was named by more people than any other organization.
"We believe this demonstrates strong support for North Memorial from the community, and we take this show of support very seriously," added Cress. "We are committed to creating a first-class health care campus that will be truly responsive to the community’s needs."
In addition to conducting a consumer survey in the Maple Grove area, North Memorial has also mailed an update about its plans to area residents and invited them to send ideas and opinions through the North Memorial Web site (www.northmemorial.com/maplegrove). This input is being used to help develop and refine plans for the outpatient campus and future hospital.
Consumers rank emergency care and urgent care services as the number one priority for health care services in Maple Grove. The other top three priorities named were: surgery services, cardiology or heart care, and an ambulance station. All of these services are included in North Memorial’s Maple Grove campus plans. In addition, the campus will feature a park-like setting, walking paths, ample parking and a glass and stone exterior that will provide natural lighting to the interior spaces.
North Memorial Health Care is celebrating 50 years of service to communities in the northwest metro. North Memorial consists of North Memorial Medical Center, a Level I Trauma Center, and North Memorial Ambulance, which currently provides the majority of ambulance and emergency care for the northwest corridor area. In addition to emergency and trauma services, North Memorial is recognized for its outstanding cardiology, oncology, and women and children’s services as well as its six primary care clinics throughout the northwestern Twin Cities.
