The year 2024 was one of growth and change for Northfield Hospital + Clinics. There were changes abounding from clinic closures to the announcement that long-time President and CEO Steve Underdahl will retire at the end of this month, followed shortly by the news that the new President and CEO of NH+C will be Northfield native Zander Abbott.
The Birth Center continued to grow, and indeed became a centerpiece of prenatal and maternal medicine in South Central Minnesota. Underdahl said, in fact, that the NH+C Birth Center welcomed somewhere in the vicinity of 650 babies in 2024, collecting national and statewide awards and honors along the way. The NH+C Cancer center, he said, received new accreditation that he called a “very substantial milestone” for cancer care in Northfield.
Another development that Underdahl highlighted was an investment in telemedicine. With the growth of technology and the proliferation of broadband internet, it has now become far easier for medical personnel with NH+C to consult with other doctors around the world. Underdahl said, more and more, this is becoming an intrinsic component to practicing medicine, and it is important for NH+C to keep up with the times.
“These are partnerships that have expanded our ability to do stroke care and mental health care and care for exotic infectious diseases. So, part of the secret sauce, I think, for community hospitals is going to come down to how they are staying connected with the best expertise available, especially when it isn’t coming from down the hallway.”
The investment has been substantial, and he said there are several different components to growing telehealth capabilities. Hardware like cameras and portable equipment is necessary, as is software upgrades and installation. He also said there are contractual agreements that must be obtained and cultivated with larger medical institutions who provide specialists on the other side of the cameras.
While the idea might sound a bit outlandish to some, Underdahl insisted that before long, visits like this will be commonplace.
“I think your listening audience over the next few years, will experience this themselves. Some component of your care, no matter where you get it in the world, will probably be connected by technology somewhere. You’ll be seeing a doctor who wants an opinion from somebody else, and that opinion might come from 1000 miles away. I think, especially for folks who live in rural places in the United States, this is going to be a great equalizer.”
Telehealth services are now available at NH+C and are being used by many, if not all, of the practicing physicians.
