Rainy Lake Medical Center
The H.O.M.E. Project
Healthcare on Minnesota’s Edge
Overview
Rainy Lake Medical Center is dedicated to its mission of providing high-quality, accessible healthcare to our communities. Our professional, engaged staff fulfill this mission every day as we strive to be the region’s preferred healthcare provider and employer of choice while delivering the best possible care to our patients and their families.
With our organization stronger and our reach broader than at any point in RLMC’s more than 50-year history, we are poised to invest in the next 50 years of healthcare by building a new, state-of-the-art facility on the beautiful Rainy River.
To seize on this unique opportunity, we are exploring a $20 million capital campaign goal to unlock a low-interest loan from the USDA for most of the construction costs. By coming together as a community to raise this philanthropic support, we will be able to celebrate Healthcare on Minnesota’s Edge. Thus, the H.O.M.E. Project is born.
Our Challenge
The needs of healthcare continue to evolve. Rural healthcare is critical because it serves as a key access point of care in an isolated area like Koochiching County. RLMC is positioned for growth but has encountered challenges along the way.
- RLMC has outgrown its current footprint and cannot expand at the current location due to lack of property and the adjacent highway. Our organization’s limited space makes it challenging to consider growth. Poor flow of the parking lot creates safety hazards for patients and emergency vehicles. The helicopter landing pad is located within the parking lot, oftentimes creating congestion to get critical patients loaded in a timely manner.
- Space within the walls of RLMC is also bursting at the seams. As we continue to recruit more providers and support staff, finding space for offices and patient rooms is an ongoing challenge.
- RLMC’s infrastructure is also due for upgrades and repairs. The entire clinic and hospital roof needs to be replaced and our HVAC system and boilers are outdated and inefficient. Remodeling the current building would cost millions of dollars and relocation of staff and services during a remodel process would stand as a significant, long-term challenge.
- Surgery growth issue due to limited & dated surgical suites – RLMC currently has less than 30% of the market share.
Our Opportunity
As RLMC continues to grow, we have a unique opportunity to expand our facility, benefiting all our patients—current and future. By building a new facility, RLMC can address major space, design, and infrastructure issues while “right-sizing” the hospital campus and allowing for future growth/regeneration. A new facility will help RLMC become more outpatient-focused, will lower ongoing maintenance costs, and help us effectively compete in the market for patients, staff, and providers.
Our Plan / Expanding Our Vision
This exciting vision has been taking shape for several years. In 2023, RLMC acquired 50 acres of property on Highway 11. We continue to work with federal, state, and local governments on all necessary studies and testing requirements to ensure no natural habitats or wetlands are being disturbed. Our vision divides the project into two phases: the new facility on 20 acres of the property and surround it with walking trails and access to the Highway 11 bike trail. The other 30 acres could eventually be developed for residential and commercial opportunities.
Why Now?
The need is acute. Our vision for the H.O.M.E. Project directly addresses the community’s needs for health care and addresses the limitations of the current facility. Since 2023, RLMC has welcomed four new providers to our family practice staff. RLMC also acquired Rainy Lake Pharmacy and has a vision to grow our retail pharmacy services for patients to have easier access to medications. Our patient numbers are at an all-time high and we anticipate that to continue an upward trajectory.
From an organizational standpoint, RLMC is ready to take on a challenge of this magnitude. RLMC is working diligently to secure a low-interest USDA loan needed to fund the multimillion-dollar project. USDA has requested evidence that the community will support this project, which is why the idea to launch a capital campaign was implemented. A successful campaign will help secure the loan that will help build a facility committed to this community and the future needs of local healthcare.
We are hopeful that we will receive support from our generous community. To help ensure USDA will grant the loan request, we need to show officials the community supports this project. We look forward to continued progress of this exciting opportunity to ensure healthcare in Borderland is strong for many generations to come.
Bright Future
Goals of the new facility are to bring new services and providers to the organization and to continue delivering quality healthcare to International Falls and surrounding communities for years to come.
The new facility will include 15 hospital beds, with the ability to expand as needed. Construction will also include larger outpatient services, in-house MRI and an onsite food provider
Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to hearing your thoughts on this exciting opportunity to make a meaningful difference for every patient who counts on Rainy Lake Medical Center.
For more information about this project, please contact the RLMC Marketing Office:
Mickie Olson
218.283.5524
mmolson@rainylakemedical.com
Emily Gedde
218.598.5164
egedde@rainylakemedical.com
