Lake Region Healthcare unifies its hospitals and clinics to strengthen future of local healthcare

Unified organization will accelerate growth, investments in facilities and leading technologies, strengthen workforce, ensure sustainability
 
[ELBOW LAKE/FERGUS FALLS, MN] Lake Region Healthcare announced this week the organization has combined its hospitals in Fergus Falls and Elbow Lake and the 10 regional clinics it operates in the west central Minnesota region to create one unified organization. This is part of a larger strategic plan aimed at accelerating growth, investments in facilities and leading-edge technologies, strengthening the workforce, and ensuring long-term sustainability as a community-based, locally led and governed healthcare organization.
 
"Continuing to grow services and enhance access to high quality health care in rural communities is both a responsibility and a challenge. We are implementing innovative strategies to effectively respond to current headwinds, while positioning ourselves to adapt better to the increasingly complex healthcare industry,” said Kent Mattson, CEO of Lake Region Healthcare. ""By uniting all our facilities and operations under one organization, we’re creating a stronger future - one that keeps Lake Region Healthcare here and at the forefront of building healthier communities for generations."
 
Operating as a single company will allow the organization to realize efficiencies and cost savings. In addition, by creating a unified organization, Lake Region Healthcare is now eligible to seek critical access-based reimbursement at more of its locations. The critical access designation is designed to strengthen financial stability of rural healthcare organizations, increase sustainability, and improve access to healthcare by keeping essential services in rural communities. Once approved, the new reimbursement status would be retroactive to October 1.
 
“This is a transformative step forward that allows us to reinvest directly in our local services, upgrade our facilities, and support our care teams,” said Mattson. “What won’t change is the high-quality care our patients rely on every day.”  
 
Dr. Matt Mouser, Chief Medical Officer, explained that the unified organization will extend specialty level care to even more patients. “Using telehealth, we are also transforming how specialty care is delivered, making hospital specialists and specialty consultations available between our locations to keep care closest to home,” Mouser said. “Our communities trust the people who care for them, and this initiative will help build the long-term financial resilience needed to protect and strengthen that local access to exceptional healthcare for years to come.”
 
Mattson said the next step in the multi-year strategic plan is a master facility planning process to address critical needs on the Fergus Falls campus. Some of those needs include a central utility plant, emergency and hospital department improvements, investment in surgical services expansion including enhanced robotics technology, and delivery and birthing services. He says the focus will be creating an adaptable facility that can accommodate future expansion of both inpatient and outpatient services. Subsequent priorities will include expansion of specialty services and improvements to other Lake Region Healthcare clinics throughout the region.
 
“Protecting access to rural healthcare is essential,” said Mattson. “That’s why we are taking proactive, thoughtful steps rooted in the best interests of the people we serve. To continue offering exceptional, person-centered care, we need to preserve local decision-making, invest in advanced technology, and support our outstanding workforce. These efforts reflect our commitment to Lake Region’s mission of partnering to enrich life through health and our vision to help our communities thrive now and into the future.” 
 
Newsweek recently named Lake Region Healthcare on its list of “America’s Best-in-State Hospitals 2025”, which highlights 700 leading hospitals at the state level to help patients find trusted medical facilities no matter where they live. In 2024 and 2025, Lake Region Healthcare was recognized with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) five-star hospital distinction. CMS assigns star ratings to hospitals nationwide annually based on their performance on 46 quality measures. Lake Region Healthcare has also been recognized as a Top 100 Rural & Community Hospital by The Chartis Center for Rural Health seven times over the past 10 years. 
About the Lake Region Healthcare Enterprise
The Lake Region Healthcare (LRH) enterprise is an independent, community owned and governed, non-profit healthcare organization headquartered in Fergus Falls. With facilities in nine communities, the midsized rural health system primarily serves five counties in west central Minnesota and eastern North Dakota. The enterprise operates two hospitals (in Fergus Falls and Elbow Lake), 10 clinics, a cancer center, a senior living community (Mill Street Residence), and various other health and wellness related ventures. With over 1,100 employees and 120 Physicians and Advance Practice Providers, we are dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of our communities close to home and delivering specialty and sub-specialty services at our locations in Fergus Falls, Elbow Lake, Ashby, Barnesville, Battle Lake, Evansville, Herman, and Morris, MN. For more information visit: www.lrhc.org and https://millstreet.lrhc.org.
 
Our Mission: We partner to enrich life through health.
Our Vision: We will create an exceptional, innovative, and personal healthcare experience that allows people to excel and our communities to thrive.
Our Values: Excellence, Person-Centered, Collaboration, Stewardship, Integrity, Respect, Innovation.                                                          # # #