Minnesota Prairie Roots

Writing and photography by Audrey Kletscher Helbling

Community forum set on planned acquisition of Allina Health by Sutter Health July 25, 2026

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 4:58 PM
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Signage directs patients, visitors and others to various sites on the Allina Health Faribault Medical Center campus. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

ACCESS TO LOCAL HEALTHCARE ranks high on my list of necessities. I expect it does for almost everyone, especially seniors like me.

This building on the Faribault campus houses the clinic and urgent care. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

I appreciate that I can go across town to see my family doctor, specialists and other medical professionals in our local clinics and hospital.

As someone who grew up in rural southwestern Minnesota with only a few doctors to serve the entire county decades ago, I deeply value living in a city with multiple clinics, a hospital, numerous therapists and more. I value local.

That all said, the future of healthcare in Faribault could change. Why do I say that? Because my healthcare provider, Allina Health, and California-based Sutter Health have signed a “definitive agreement” that would make Allina the Upper Midwest Division of Sutter Health.

This sign directs patients to some of the services provided on the Allina Health Faribault Medical Center campus. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

The proposed acquisition will be the focus of a community forum from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, July 29, in Faribault, location to be determined. Allina Health has hospitals and clinics throughout Minnesota so this planned acquisition affects people across the state.

The Minnesota State Attorney General’s office is hosting the meeting to lay out details about the proposal and to get public input. It’s a process required by state law.

I care enough about local healthcare to attend. I need to learn more, to begin to understand what this could mean for me, my family and others in my community and area. Locally, Allina owns the hospital, a general clinic, specialty clinics and a sports rehab/therapy center. I’ve been a patient at these clinics, gone to therapy, used the emergency room and been hospitalized many times locally. Likewise family members have accessed Allina health services.

This shows the entrance to the hospital, left, and the space linking the clinic to the hospital. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

I don’t know much about the proposed acquisition, only that I grow concerned when ownership is assumed by an out-of-state nonprofit that is massive in size. My local hospital was once community-owned, until it became part of the Allina system in 2015.

Much-needed improvements were made to the surgical and emergency departments by Allina Health. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

Allina invested in the former District One Hospital with improvements to the emergency and surgical departments and more. But recently we lost our birthing center and hospital pediatric care. That’s a loss to parents and families who must now travel out of town to have their babies and get hospital care for their kids.

Talk of change always sparks questions. And it should. I encourage anyone who cares about the future of healthcare in Faribault to attend Wednesday’s public forum. This offers an opportunity to listen and to be heard.

More specialty care on the Allina Health Faribault Medical Center campus. This is located across the street from the main clinic and hospital. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

However, there are some guidelines. To even attend, and that includes media, you must register in advance online. It’s not difficult to do. But requiring online registration could easily discourage people, especially those without computer access or skills, from attending. Then, the location of the hearing in Faribault will not be disclosed until 48 hours before the meeting.

If you wish to speak at the forum, you must also register in advance. That requirement seems more reasonable. Still, it’s another obstacle.

No matter, please, if you live in the Faribault area, make attending the community forum on the proposed acquisition of Allina Health by Sutter Health a priority on Wednesday evening. Come. Listen. Learn. Become informed. Be seen. And let your voice be heard if you choose to speak.

FYI: Click here to read the media release from the Minnesota state attorney general’s office on this community forum. The release includes links to register to attend and also a form to complete if you wish to speak.

Click here to read a media release from Allina Health about the “definitive agreement” with Sutter Health.

UPDATE, Sunday, July 26: Please click here to complete a survey by Sam Temple, a Faribault resident, documentary filmmaker, local historian, candidate for Rice County commissioner and more. Temple plans to share concerns and stories at the July 29 forum. You can complete his survey, “Share Your Allina Story,” anonymously if you wish.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Hospital humor June 19, 2018

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 5:00 AM
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My splinted and bandaged broken left arm, elevated.

 

I DON’T WANT TO DWELL on the case of the broken arm. But I thought you would appreciate some humor related to my recent fall and subsequent left radius break. I need to laugh about ruining two simultaneous summers or I’d feel overwhelmingly blue.

Let’s start with my ER visit. I offer high praise to the staff of Allina Health District One Hospital in Faribault for the wonderful care. And I love the newly redone ER, which offers way more patient privacy.

But I don’t love the scale or the importance of securing my health insurance card, photo ID and weight before getting me a room and medical attention. Upon my arrival shortly before noon on Saturday, I wanted only to keep from passing out (due to hyperventilating) and to get relief from my pain. But first things first. Get this woman a wheelchair. Get the necessary info and then wheel her onto a scale. I expect this is all procedural protocol. But when you’re in excruciating pain, you wanted help yesterday and your weight does not seem particularly important.

 

My bathroom scale. Accurate or not?

 

About now, you’re thinking there’s nothing humorous in this story. Ah, but there is. The hospital scale showed me weighing nearly 20 pounds more than my scale at home. I told the nurse so. She ignored my protest and recorded the weight. I was mad. Later I would weigh myself at home. The difference—17 pounds. I expect maybe a several-pound difference. But almost 20 pounds? I lost 20 pounds more than a year ago and have managed to keep off that weight. I weigh myself regularly. And my clothes still have a much looser fit. Plus, the scale is relatively new and has matched weights from previous clinic visits.

My husband just laughs. Although he agrees that the hospital scale is way off (or he’d be 17 pounds heavier, too), he laughs at how mad I am about it. As the saying goes, don’t add insult to injury. Literally.

PLEASE CHECK BACK tomorrow for another humorous take on my broken arm story.

Copyright 2018 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

I planned to give blood, but… May 24, 2017

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 10:43 AM
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THE BEST LAID plans don’t always work out. Case in point.

Monday evening my husband and I arrived at the local hospital to donate blood to the Red Cross. My rare AB positive blood is in high demand and I’m always willing to give when I can, the operative words being “when I can.”

With my Rapid Pass in hand, I was prepared to breeze through the check-in process and get down to the task of donating blood.

As we headed down the stairs toward the basement donation room, I observed how shiny and clean the stairs. This was a hospital, so I wouldn’t expect otherwise. And then it happened. I felt my legs stepping into air as I missed the final step on the stairway. I pitched forward toward the floor, door and concrete wall, apparently breaking my fall with my right shoulder. I lay there, stunned and hurting, until Randy helped me up.

At that point, I still thought I would be donating blood. But by the time we reached the donation site just down the hall, my pain was intensifying. I needed to see a doctor. Opting for the less expensive walk-in clinic rather than the ER, we headed next door. By then, the pain was so severe that I was crying.

You’ve likely determined by now that this story does not end well. X-rays showed a broken right shoulder.  As I’ve repeated my this is how this happened story to medical staff a half dozen times in the past few days, I consider how unbelievable that I would fall while at the hospital. This story is even better than fiction.

But this is reality, my reality of 8 -12 weeks of healing and physical therapy, when my body is ready. I’m currently in resting mode with my arm in a sling and instructions to ice as needed and to take Tylenol for pain. I’m starting a basic flex your elbow exercise today and will advance to the pendulum swing in 10 days. I am learning, adjusting and relying heavily on my husband for personal help and help with household tasks I typically do. He’s a great caregiver. He’s been through this with me before when I had my right hip replaced about 10 year ago.

I am not good at resting. I want to write and do photography and more. The photography won’t happen. I can’t hold my arm in the position needed to take photos. And this is prime photo season. Today is my first attempt at using my desktop computer. Typing with my right hand is a challenge. My blogging and other writing likely will be limited. Time will tell what I can and can’t do. I appreciate your understanding and hope you will remain in my readership.

When I start feeling sorry for myself, I consider how much worse my injuries could have been. I could have slammed my head into the concrete wall and suffered a concussion. I could have face-planted and broken by neck. I could have broken other bones that would have required surgery. My orthopedic doctor told me it I had to break a bone, I chose a good one to break. I’ll trust him on that.

So, dear readers, this is the situation I am in now. I am determined to do what I am told or risk additional injury and surgery. I don’t have to like that I am suffering this painful, limiting injury. But I will deal with it. There is no choice.

Copyright 2017 Audrey Kletscher Helbling