Minnesota Community Hospital Claims Mayo Clinic is Steering Patients Away

The CEO of River Edge Hospital in St. Peter, Minn., has requested the state attorney general investigate Mayo Clinic Health Systems in the area, claiming Mayo physicians and staff are purposely misinforming patients to steer them away from local community hospitals, according to a St. Peter Herald report.

Advertisement

CEO Colleen Spike and two area physicians sent a letter to Lori Swanson in October, saying providers at Mayo sites in St. Peter and Mankato misled patients about services offered at River’s Edge. Ms. Spike said patients were told by Mayo staff that no one at River’s Edge performed colonoscopies or mammograms, for instance.

The three claimed Mayo has “become very silently and swiftly a dangerous monopoly in rural southern Minnesota,” according to the report.

Ms. Spike says River’s Edge has experienced a sharp decline in the number of procedures performed there, as well as patient admissions. River’s Edge was suffering a net loss of nearly $1.6 million as of Nov. 29, according to the report.

River’s Edge shares the same building with Mayo Clinic Health System in St. Peter, but the community hospital operates independently and has voted against partnering with a larger system, according to the report.

More Articles on Mayo Clinic:

Mayo Clinic Care Network Adds St. Elizabeth Healthcare
Rural Idaho Hospital Targets Mayo, Cleveland Clinic Physicians in Recruitment Efforts
St. Alexius Medical Center Joins Mayo Clinic Care Network

At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.

Download Whitepaper

The cost-saving opportunity most health systems overlook

Many hospitals and health systems scrutinize staffing, service lines, and payer contracts for savings. Fewer look at one of their largest assets: real estate.…

Advertisement

Next Up in Legal & Regulatory Issues

Advertisement

Comments are closed.