Kettle River
Kettle River, MN · Health
Grand Rapids Herald Review
Essentia Health-Deer River Clinic welcomes Megan Alto to practice family medicine
Megan Alto, a certified physician assistant practicing family medicine, is thrilled to join the Essentia Health-Deer River Clinic. “I completed much of my training within the Essentia system and consistently had excellent experiences with my preceptors, staff and patients,” said Alto. “I felt well supported as a student throughout my training. I was also drawn to Essentia’s transition-to-practice program, which reflects a strong commitment to supporting new graduate providers.” Alto received her education from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth and is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. “I am excited to work alongside a strong team of medical professionals, give back to the community and deliver compassionate, high-quality care that I would want for my own loved ones,” said Alto. “I value the opportunity to care for patients across the lifespan while providing a balance of preventive care, chronic disease management and acute care.” To schedule an appointment with Alto, please call (218) 246-8275, or visit EssentiaHealth.org and click on “find a doctor.” Visit the Essentia Health Newsroom for other important updates, patient stories and media resources. ABOUT ESSENTIA HEALTH Essentia Health’s mission is to make a healthy difference in people’s lives. An integrated
businessnorth.com
A leadership shift for health care
Essentia joins move toward advanced practitioners with new associate CMO. In a move that spotlights a recent trend in health care leadership, Essentia Health recently announced that nurse practitioner Christie Erickson has been named as the Duluth-based health care system’s new associate chief medical officer (ACMO) for the East Market.
northernnewsnow.com
Lawmakers hear concerns over long-term care at Duluth forum
DULUTH, Minn. (Northern News Now) - A bipartisan group of Minnesota lawmakers gathered in Duluth on Thursday to hear concerns about long-term care, as part of a statewide series of discussions on the issue. The meeting, held at Ecumen Lakeshore, focused on the growing demand for care as the state’s...
Ashland Daily Press
Tamarack change in ambulance services aimed at providing immediate transport
The chief executive officer of Tamarack Health Ashland Medical Center confirms that “challenges related to transfers” are at the heart of a decision to change the primary ambulance service to other medical centers. Tamarack has told City of Ashland officials that, effective in May, Great Divide Ambulance Service of Cable will provide the bulk of both emergency and non-emergency transfers after decades of that service being provided by Ashland ambulances. Tamarack Chief Executive Officer Luke Beirl said patients were having “extended stays” at the Ashland Medical Center’s emergency department, which he said led to “really challenging situations when people have specific diagnoses or conditions that require them to be taken to a different level of care beyond what we are able to provide.” Beirl said those challenges meant not being able to have immediate transport. “That is the challenging thing when you have patients that need services beyond what we are able to provide,” he said. Beirl observed that in cases of heart attack, Tamarack was able to get patients to the Essentia Heart Center in Duluth in as little as 90 minutes. “The reality of emergency services in places like Ashland that are relatively isolated is that time is
Ashland Daily Press
Tamarack drops Ashland ambulance for non-emergency transfers
Tamarack Health has notified the City of Ashland that it will end its longstanding non-emergency patient transport arrangement with the Ashland Ambulance Service and shift that business to the Cable-based Great Divide Ambulance Service, effective around April 10 — but city officials say no immediate layoffs are planned as a result. Mayor Matt MacKenzie said Tamarack informed the city in March that it was making the change, citing the number of transport requests the Ashland service was unable to fulfill. “Apparently they were dissatisfied with the number of trips we could not make,” MacKenzie said. “They were satisfied with our service and speak highly of it, but they were looking for a change and felt they could get more trips made by using a different group.” MacKenzie said the decision caught the city off guard. “They just announced to us that at around the first of May — about six weeks out — they were going to stop using us as the primary mover for interfacility transports,” he said. “They can go where they want, but I am just a little disappointed that they didn’t have a conversation with us about this. They just kind of announced it out of
WDIO-TV
Eversmiles Dentistry is just for kids
Eversmiles Pediatric Dentistry runs a waitlist. That’s in part because it’s one of the only dentist’s offices in northern Minnesota that’s just for kids. “Our goal is just to work with families and their children to try to set them up for the most successful mouths that you can have,” Dr. Allison Robinson said.
tcbmag.com
New U of M Medical School Campuses Address Rural Health Care Crisis
Rural health care is in trouble. Last fall, the University of Minnesota Medical School made a significant move to help address what is a critical problem. Its strategy: launch two new outstate campuses offering four-year medical education and training programs. Campuses in Duluth and St. Cloud welcomed their first four-year cohorts in August 2025.
KBJR
Minnesota bill proposes stricter ATV trail rules, sparking divide among Northland leaders
businessnorth.com
Lembeck joins Aspirus St. Luke's
Aspirus St. Luke’s (ASL) Hospital – Occupational Therapy has hired Occupational Therapist Natalie Lembeck, OTD, OTR/L. Lembeck earned her Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree from Marquette University in Milwaukee. She earned her Master of Science in Exercise Physiology degree from The College of St. Scholastica. Additionally, Lembeck received her occupational therapist registered and licensed certification from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. She has experience in outpatient hand therapy and skilled nursing. She believes in treating the whole person, not just the diagnosis.
businessnorth.com
Aspirus Health to open new clinic in Cloquet
Aspirus Health will be opening a new primary care clinic in Cloquet this summer. Aspirus St. Luke’s Cloquet Clinic will be located in the Pine Tree Plaza and be open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Patients will have access to a range of services, including family medicine, lab, radiology and more.