Jun 6, 2024 | By: Matthew Freeman

Sanford Health in Bemidji Celebrates Heart & Vascular Center Expansion

Sanford Health has completed their expansion of the Heart and Vascular Center at the Sanford Bemidji Medical Center, as well as a remodel of the East Lobby. The hospital celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 30.

According to CDC cardiovascular mortality maps, as recent as about 2010, the mortality rate for northwest Minnesota was one of the highest in the country, and the hopes for Bemidji seeing a full-time cardiovascular presence were very slim. That has changed, however, over the last few years.

“Initial estimates from our colleagues down in Fargo suggested that we might do 50 cases a year,” said Sanford Bemidji Medical Center Cardiology Department Chairman James Dewar at last week’s ceremony. “We proved that number to be slightly low because within three years, we were well over 1,200 cases annually and we are currently on pace to achieve greater than 2,000 cases.”

The Bemidji hospital has helped turn Minnesota from having one of the highest average annual death rates by heart disease in the country, to now one of the lowest. Sanford says this expansion was much need to keep that trend going.

“Today’s expansion of the heart center not only addresses its growth, it provides a solid foundation for the future,” said Sanford Health of Northern Minnesota President and CEO Karla Eischens during an address at the ceremony. “With this expansion costing a total of $4.5 million, we’ve not only increased our capacity to accommodate more patients, but also refined our facilities to prioritize patient comfort and convenience.”

With the expansion comes comes the addition of a third catheterization laboratory (also called a cath lab), which can help treat patients with irregular heartbeats close to home.

“The biggest addition is the addition of the electrophysiology equipment that we have,” explained Kris Anderson, former Sanford Bemidji Medical Center Cardiology Department Chairman. “So we have the ability to do ablations for various heart rhythm abnormalities that typically in the past, you would have to go to Duluth, Minneapolis, Fargo, Grand Forks. We had nothing in the middle of the state. So the addition of the new electrophysiology lab not only helps us for the people in the community of Bemidji, but everywhere up to the Canadian border. So Grand Rapids, Park Rapids, Fosston, Roseau, we have a big draw area. For that type of needs, people can come here to get their cardiac care.”

Earlier this year, the cardiovascular team at the Sanford Bemidji Medical Center successfully performed the region’s first-ever cardiac ablation within the new electrophysiology cath lab.

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