In Bismarck, Chamber CEO says 'outlook is good' for healthcare as Altru moves ahead with hospital acquisition

Andy Weeks / Grand Forks Herald By Korrie Wenzel Today at 10:17 AM Listen Comments Share Share this article News Reporting News Reporting Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The Trust Project What is this? GRAND FORKS — The leader of the Bismarck Mandan Chamber Economic Development Corp. believes “the outlook is good” for healthcare in the community as Altru Health System moves ahead with its acquisition of a Bismarck hospital. Altru, based in Grand Forks, announced on Wednesday , Nov. 4, that it has signed a “definitive agreement” to move forward with the acquisition of the CommonSpirit Health St. Alexius hospitals in Bismarck, Garrison and Turtle Lake. The price of the acquisition isn't being made public. ADVERTISEMENT A key detail in the transaction is Altru’s decision to continue the three hospitals’ affiliation with the Catholic Church. No other Altru facilities — including its hospitals in Grand Forks and Devils Lake, as well as various clinics and specialty centers — have church connections. The decision to retain the relationship with the Benedictine sisters is “an incredibly big deal in Bismarck,” said Brenda Nagel, president and CEO of the community’s Chamber and EDC. “There is a history — a rich history with the sisters who came across the prairie many, many years ago to start that hospital,” Nagel told the Grand Forks Herald Friday. “It’s part of the makeup of what St. Alexius is, and I think it feels a bit like it’s going back to its roots and the tradition of what they always have stood for.” Nagel believes keeping the affiliation “is very much appreciated, honestly.” Sister Nicole Kunze, prioress of the Benedictine Sisters of Annunciation Monastery, commended the decision to keep the church affiliation. “St. Alexius has a rich history rooted in the Benedictine tradition of compassionate care of the sick, welcoming all as Christ and caring for the needs of our communities,” Kunze said in a statement issued Wednesday. “As we continue our sponsorship of St. Alexius, we are encouraged by our shared commitment with Altru to honor that legacy and preserve the Catholic identity and mission that have guided this ministry for generations.” Altru’s interest in acquiring the three CommonSpirit St. Alexius hospitals was first publicly announced in January, when Altru leaders declared their intent to “explore a potential agreement.” Although an agreement has now been reached, the deal now goes through a process of regulatory review and what are described as “customary closing conditions.” The transaction is expected to officially close in early 2027. ADVERTISEMENT The deal has drawn kudos from U.S. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., who was deeply involved in the process when Altru acquired the Devils Lake hospital, which also was part of the CommonSpirit network. He hosted community discussions to gather input from residents, met with leaders from both systems and even met with CommonSpirit’s top executive to express Devils Lake residents’ concerns about the community’s state of healthcare. At times, he also was critical of what he saw as a lack of investment at the Devils Lake hospital while it was part of the CommonSpirit network. Following Wednesday’s announcement, Hoeven commended the work of Altru CEO Todd Forkel and CommonSpirit CEO Tim Bricker. He said the agreement builds on the organizations’ collaboration. “Access to quality health care is vital for families and communities across North Dakota, especially in our rural areas. We appreciate Todd Forkel and Tim Bricker for their continued efforts to strengthen health care in our state,” Hoeven, said in a statement. “Our work together to preserve hospital services in Devils Lake helped lay the groundwork for this expanded partnership, and we look forward to continuing to work with Altru and CommonSpirit to ensure North Dakotans have access to the quality care they need.” Although Altru has clinics in towns with competing hospitals, the move to Bismarck will be the system’s first foray into a two-hospital community. Sanford Medical Center also operates a full acute-care facility there. The combined population — Bismarck has 78,000 residents, Mandan has 25,000 — means the two hospitals “need each other,” Nagel said. “We are a large community,” she said. “Both of them want to partner together and deliver a high level of care for Bismarck and Mandan.” ADVERTISEMENT Meanwhile, Nagel said she’s hearing positive comments about Altru’s entrance into the market. “I think the outlook is good on the Altru switchover. I think people really want their St. Alexius back and to have another option for healthcare, and I am hearing all positive things,” she said. “I think (Bismarck-Mandan residents) are optimistic and the employees are optimistic. I think the employees are looking forward to what this means for them. They just want to take care of patients.” Comments Share Share this article News Reporting News Reporting Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The Trust Project What is this? Tags Tags ALTRU BUSINESS By Korrie Wenzel Korrie Wenzel has been publisher of the Grand Forks Herald since 2014. In addition to his duties with the Herald, he is publisher of Agweek, a weekly ag-focused newspaper, and also Prairie Business, a monthly magazine. Both Agweek and Prairie Business cover news and trends in the Dakotas and Minnesota. Over time, he has been a board member of the Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corp., Junior Achievement, the South Dakota Historical Society Foundation, United Way, Empire Arts Center, Cornerstones Career Learning Center and Crimestoppers. As publisher, Wenzel oversees news and business operations at the Herald, Agweek and Prairie Business. In the past, Wenzel was sports editor for 14 years at The Mitchell Republic of Mitchell, S.D., before becoming editor and, eventually, publisher. Wenzel can be reached at 701-780-1103. 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