Image by Alexa from PixabayEssentia Health has joined forces with Brightside Surgical, an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) in Bismarck, North Dakota, to co-own the facility. Brightside offers a variety of specialties, from obstetrics to podiatry to general surgery.
The partnership aims to enhance access to outpatient surgical care for patients in the Bismarck-Mandan area, Dr. Stefanie Gefroh, interim president of Essentia Health’s West Market, told ASC News in an email.
“This joint venture solidifies existing relationships and expands our capabilities to do more together through our shared commitment to improve the health of our communities,” she wrote. “Together, we can expand access to surgical care options in an outpatient setting and offer a coordinated and sustainable continuum of care to the Bismarck-Mandan community.”
Essentia Health Partners is part of Essentia Health, a nonprofit integrated health care system in the upper Midwest, particularly Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin. They have another ASC partnership in Minnesota, and they may be looking to expand with more partnerships in the future.
“We are committed to working collaboratively and exploring opportunities and partnerships as they arise,” Gefroh wrote.
The collaboration will provide new opportunities to expand the ASC’s surgical capabilities, particularly in specialized areas, Gefroh said. Brightside Surgical will continue its local operations with the same team, while Brightside Specialty Clinics will remain independent.
Essentia’s partnership with large hospital systems in the area made partnerships with smaller ASCs like Brightside feasible, Gefroh said.
In October 2022, Mid Dakota Clinic joined Essentia, bringing together Mid Dakota Clinic’s long-standing primary care network, including 40 physicians, 25 advanced practitioners and over 280 staff members.
“Since Mid-Dakota Clinic joined Essentia in late 2022, we have recruited more than a dozen new providers to our Mid-Dakota Bismarck locations,” Gefroh said. “This new partnership allows us to extend that dedication by bringing stability and growth in surgical services to the region.”
Dr. Andrew Knudsen, a podiatrist affiliated with both Essentia and Brightside, said in a press release that the expanded partnership will improve access to surgical specialties, ultimately benefiting the local community.
“This is a win for the community and will allow us to expand surgical specialty services to meet our patients’ needs while improving already excellent care,” he said.
