(St. Paul, MN) – Fairview Health Services announced structural and operational changes to their healthcare systems today, prompting the following response from Senator Michelle Benson (R-Ham Lake), Chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee:

“Consistent with predictions from experts, the state’s Covid-19 response accelerated Fairview’s decision to make substantial changes to their organization. Increased ICU beds and protective measures to serve Minnesotans took precedence from the beginning of the pandemic, despite the inevitable financial and operational impacts to our healthcare system. The leaders at Fairview prioritized people by sacrificing space and making sure our state had enough Covid-specific beds to manage a surge, thus allaying fears of the unknown in the early months of the emergency. We are grateful for their compassion and commitment to the field during this difficult time.

“It was also announced that the Fairview clinic in Zimmerman will be shutting their doors, meaning a loss to District 31.  They did great work in our community, and many will feel the loss of their usual provider and location. I will continue to advocate for accessible and high-quality care in Zimmerman and all the surrounding areas.”