Sanford Health has unveiled its plans for an "X-shaped" $360 million, 371-private room Sanford Fargo Medical Center that the health system is calling the largest project of its kind in North Dakota history.
"Designing a new medical center from the ground up is an extraordinary opportunity to do things right for our patients," Sanford Health President/CEO Kelby Krabbenhoft said in a media release.
Sanford has committed to more than $600 million in construction projects and facilities improvements in northern Minnesota across the Dakotas. On Aug. 17, the health system announced the Edith Sanford Breast Cancer Center named in honor of philanthropist Denny Sanford's mother. It includes a new building in Sioux Falls and an expansion in Fargo.
Earlier in the month it announced the $60 million Sanford Thief River Falls Medical Center and Clinic in Minnesota.
The design of the "X" shaped Fargo hospital is intended to facilitate integration between the hospital and clinics. Room for growth at the current facilities, facility design limitation, and aging buildings were given as the main reasons for the new hospital.
About 58% of Sanford's downtown Fargo campus patients come from outside the area. However, downtown Fargo is difficult to navigate with multiple railroad crossings and congested traffic. The threat of flooding is also a factor – many of the downtown campus buildings are antiquated and the campus is land-locked.
By 2015, it is estimated that 7,178 Sanford employees will be needed to serve 200,000 people in the Fargo-Moorhead metro area. Sanford currently employs more than 5,600, the health system said.
"We believe we are building a healthcare campus of the future and providing new facilities which will support innovations in care and research discoveries close to home for all our communities," Lauris Molbert, Sanford Board of Trustees vice-chair said in a media release. "Through these developments, we are ensuring that our health system meets its goal to improve and expand access to the highest quality care."
Groundbreaking is expected in 2013, with completion in 2016. The 704,000 square foot, 11-story hospital will house Sanford's medical and surgical services, emergency medicine, and Centers of Excellence for heart, children's, women's, orthopedics/sports medicine. Highlights include: 30 operating rooms, 10 heart catheterization/interventional labs, 40 emergency treatment/trauma rooms, 300 clinic exam rooms, and space for 200 physicians and 2,700 employees.
In addition, Sanford plans a $30 million facilities upgrade for the Roger Maris Cancer Center at the downtown campus, which will be home to about 2,000 employees and will occupy about 200,000 square feet with 220 private rooms.
As the projects get underway, the Sanford Health Foundation will launch The Building Tomorrow Today Campaign to raise $50 million in endowment funding for perpetual support for the new facility, its programs and services, Sanford said.
Sanford Health is the largest, rural, not-for-profit health care system in the nation with a presence in 112 communities in seven states. The system includes 34 hospitals, 116 clinic locations and more than 900 physicians in 70 specialty areas of medicine. With more than 20,000 employees, Sanford Health is the largest employer in North and South Dakota.
John Commins is a content specialist and online news editor for HealthLeaders, a Simplify Compliance brand.