By Rich Larson
Northfield Hospital & Clinics (NH+C) is moving ahead with plans to take over operations of the Jefferson Road Clinic, formerly operated by Allina Health, with the facility scheduled to welcome its first NH+C patients on Sept. 18.
According to NH+C President and CEO Zander Abbott, work is progressing on schedule as teams prepare for the transition. Allina will continue seeing patients through Aug. 28 before closing the clinic and completing its own shutdown process. NH+C will then assume ownership and spend several weeks preparing the facility for reopening.
While no major renovations are planned, the clinic will undergo significant operational changes. New computer systems, signage, medical equipment, and other infrastructure will be installed. A large onboarding effort is also underway as roughly 100 employees join NH+C, including about 33 physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and specialists.
Abbott said retaining local healthcare providers was a major priority. Many of the clinicians joining NH+C live in the Northfield area, helping preserve access to healthcare services within the community.
The transition will also bring expanded services. New offerings are expected to include mental health care, podiatry, acupuncture, medication management through a clinical pharmacist, enhanced sleep medicine services, and expanded sports medicine care. Abbott said the organization views the acquisition as an opportunity not only to maintain existing services but also to grow healthcare options locally, reducing the need for residents to travel to the Twin Cities or Rochester for specialty care.
NH+C is also relocating its urgent care operation to the Jefferson Road Clinic. The current urgent care site on Highway 3 will close Sept. 15 and 16 before reopening at the new location on Sept. 17. The move will allow the Jefferson Road building to serve patients seven days a week.
Abbott noted that NH+C has been preparing for questions about healthcare access during the three-week closure period. Patients with urgent needs will continue to have access to NH+C’s urgent care locations and emergency department, while additional same-day appointment capacity is being added across the organization’s other clinics.
The acquisition represents one of NH+C’s largest expansions in recent years. Along with clinical staff, the organization is adding personnel in scheduling, billing, coding, human resources, and other support functions. Abbott said the growth comes as demand continues to increase across NH+C’s hospital services, including inpatient care, emergency medicine, and obstetrics.
To help residents navigate the transition, NH+C is maintaining an updated list of frequently asked questions on its website, where information is being refreshed regularly as new questions arise.
Rich Larson is the owner and General manager of KYMN Radio. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
