Baxter Medical Park announced
Brainerd Lakes Health plans to construct a clinic in Baxter.
The Baxter Medical Park, a 40,000-square-foot facility, is expected to have primary care, Urgent Care, women's care and pediatric care as some services are shifted from the Brainerd Medical Center.
Bill Palmer, clinic administrator, said since BMC integrated with St. Joseph's Medical Center in 2007 BMC is running out of space.
Without room to expand BMC on South Sixth Street in Brainerd and limited room at the hospital in north Brainerd, Palmer said it was determined an expansion was best at a new site in Baxter.
Several possibilities were looked at, but the site Brainerd Lakes Health already owned was found to be most suitable for its visibility and ability to draw from residents in Brainerd and Baxter and the Highway 371 corridor.
Brainerd Lakes Health is planning to expand its services with a Baxter Medical Park next to the Brainerd Lakes Surgery Center in Baxter not far from Walmart. The project may be open in the spring of 2011.
The land is next to the Brainerd Lakes Surgery Center in Baxter and near Walmart. Ground could be broken for the project in the late spring or early summer of 2010 with the facility opening in the spring of 2011.
While there are uncertainties - with the economy and health care reform - Tom Prusak, Brainerd Lakes Health chief executive officer, said Friday Brainerd Lakes Health is committed to this expansion.
"Is there risk? Well there is always risk in everything we do, probably not the least we don't know what health care reform will look like," Prusak said. "Our vision for Baxter goes back some time. We think the economy is going to recover. We made a commitment to the community when we integrated that we would expand those services and we are fulfilling that commitment."
Palmer said the expansion is needed to serve current demand and expectation for services now, as well as handle the anticipated population growth.
In a rough estimate, the project is expected to cost about $8 million.
"We are looking at the most cost-effective way to finance the project," Prusak said, noting options such as tax increment financing. But he said there isn't a plan to ask for donations to help build the clinic, as was the case with the Brainerd Lakes Heart and Vascular Center.
Palmer said access to health care and the recruitment of staff - areas needed to remain competitive and keep up with the population growth - will be enhanced by the Baxter Medical Park.
The Baxter clinic is seen as an addition to BMC, even as some of the services provided in south Brainerd would be moved to Baxter. Prusak said Brainerd Lakes Health sees a long-term presence at BMC in south Brainerd.
In the movement of services BMC will continue to provide same day care, but extended hours would be provided in Baxter.
Prusak said a second phase of development has the potential for partnerships as other medical providers look at their own space needs, such as independent practices in orthopedics, urology, ophthalmology and possibly in imaging.
At full capacity, Baxter Medical Park is expected to have 20 physicians - with 12 of those as new positions - and each has three support staff for their practices. Brainerd Lakes Health has several physicians joining the staff in 2010 and 2011.
The 37-acre Baxter Medical Park will allow future expansion. A planned backage road off Isle Road is designed to maximize building space to the east. A 17-acre buffer area between the development and residential areas is expected to be used as park space.
Following the integration of SJMC and BMC, a new care model - called a hospitalist program - was introduced.
The program gives a primary care physician a choice. That doctor may decide to focus on outpatients. If the doctor's patient gets sick and is hospitalized, the doctor can check up on a patient but may have a hospitalist manage the patient's care. The hospitalist, typically schooled in internal medicine, provides primary care for inpatients.
Prusak said two major initiatives, the hospitalist program and the development of oncology into a full cancer center, do not have the visibility of building programs such as the heart center or the clinic, but are major efforts. Three oncologists have been hired, including one who will start in November.
Plans are to locate the Cancer Center at SJMC where comprehensive imaging services are available at the hospital.
Another investment has been in electronic health care records. Baxter Medical Park is planned as being paperless with the electronic medical records in participation with the federal initiatives to move in that direction. Investment in the electronic records is part of BMC and SJMC.
In addition to BMC and SJMC, Brainerd Lakes Health has six satellite clinics in the area. Brainerd Lakes Health employs about 1,200 with about 300 at BMC.
As for the Baxter Medical Park addition, Palmer said: "I think this is really about expanding access and more options for care."
RENEE RICHARDSON may be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.