Minnesota Hospital To Begin New $13 Million Expansion Project

Finding quality health care can be challenging for several reasons, such as working with insurance companies to find the places to visit within coverage plans.

Then, once you decide on a health care provider, you hope they have all that is necessary to provide the best care for you and your family. That's why whenever I hear about a healthcare facility investing in improvements to better serve their community, I take notice.

This week, Essentia Health announced it would be making a big investment to improve its facility in northern Minnesota.

Essentia Health Announces Major Investment In Minnesota

According to its news release, Essentia Health-Virginia will be undergoing a $13 million expansion of its emergency department, which the healthcare provider says will strengthen critical and often lifesaving care for patients across the Iron Range.

This will have a positive impact for many people, as Essentia Health notes that its expert and compassionate care teams treat about 13,000 patients in the Virginia emergency department.

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They add that this project will allow them to better meet the community’s needs by adding five exam rooms, four of which will be specifically for behavioral health patients, and new technology and enhanced security.

The behavioral health suite will be dedicated to caring for patients experiencing mental health episodes. The suite will be specially equipped and designed to support patient and staff safety.

The new equipment will bring state-of-the-art technology to ensure patients have access to the best possible emergency care close to home, which is a tremendous advantage.

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Sam Stone, administrator at Essentia Health-Virginia, said, "This project is vital for our region, especially in providing accessible and high-quality health care on the Range. By increasing our capacity and introducing a dedicated behavioral health suite, we are ensuring that every patient receives timely and specialized care."

Funding for the project comes from Essentia Health, Essentia’s regional foundation, Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board, and donors. Construction is expected to start later this year and be completed in late 2026, which Essentia says will generate "good-paying jobs" during the duration of the work.

These Common Household Items Are Now Banned In Minnesota

A hot topic lately is PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as "forever chemicals" because they are difficult for humans to detoxify and have half-lives measured in years. These chemicals accumulate in the body over time and can cause significant health issues even at low exposure levels

PFAS are commonly found in the environment and the human body and have been linked to a range of health concerns including increased cholesterol levels, potential disruption of hormone systems, reduced immune function, increased risk of certain cancers, developmental issues in children, and reproductive problems, particularly in pregnant women.

On January 1, 2024, Minnesota prohibited PFAS in firefighting foam and food packaging. The state is taking an even more aggressive stance against the chemicals in 2025.

According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the first prohibitions of products containing intentionally added PFAS under Amara's Law (Minn. Stat. § 116.943) are now in effect in Minnesota, meaning you can no longer legally purchase these items.

If you're wondering if you already have products with intentionally added PFAS, you can take the following steps to be sure:

Check the label - Look for products that are labeled as PFAS-free.
Check for keywords - Look for words like "waterproof," "stain-repellent," or "dirt-repellant" on the tag.
Check for ingredients - Avoid products that contain ingredients with "perfluoro" or "fluoro" in their name.
Use a third-party verification service - Some organizations offer third-party verification of products that claim to be made without PFAS.

As of January 1, 2025, you can no longer purchase products with intentionally added PFAS in Minnesota. These products fall under the 11 categories below.

Gallery Credit: David Drew