Sanford Bemidji Medical Center Public Hearing

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) will hold a public hearing on January 17, 2024, at 6 p.m. on Sanford Bemidji Medical Center’s planned closure of its inpatient rehabilitation unit.

According to the submission filed by Sanford Health, the inpatient rehabilitation unit beds will be transferred to other units within the medical center facility beginning on April 1. Patients requiring inpatient rehabilitation will be referred to swing-beds, skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) or other facilities outside of the area.

More information is available in the MDH news release: Public hearing set for January 17 on closure of Sanford Bemidji inpatient rehabilitation unit.

• Hospital Name: Sanford Bemidji Medical Center
• Hospital Owner: Sanford Health
• Hospital Location: Bemidji, Minnesota (Beltrami County)
• Proposed Service Change: Closure of inpatient rehabilitation unit.
• Public Hearing Date and Time: Jan. 17, 2024, at 6 p.m. (via Teams)

The Minnesota Department of Health serves as a facilitator to ensure there is public discussion and engagement for any proposed closure, reduction of services or relocation of services for a hospital or hospital campus as outlined in Minnesota Statutes Section 144.555.

This statute gives MDH the authority to hold the meeting and to inform the public but not to change, delay or prevent the proposed changes, closures or relocations.

Call Information

• Date: Jan. 17, 2024
• Time: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Central Time

Click here to join the call.

You can also call in using a phone. Call the phone number provided below and enter the access code.

• Audio-only call: +1 651-395-7448
• Phone Conference ID: 238 345 226#

Need help?

• Microsoft Support: Join a meeting in Teams

Captioning services are being provided for attendees within the Teams interface. Detailed instructions for using the captions are available on Microsoft's website: Use live captions in a Teams meeting.

If you are unable to use captions through Teams, they are also available to view in your browser through this link once the meeting begins: MNDOH: Real Time Text.

Call Documents

Presentation slides will be posted prior to the call. A transcript of the hearing will be posted on this page 7-10 business days after the call.

• Presentation Slides: 2024-01-17 Bemidji Medical Center Closure of Inpatient Rehabilitation Services Presentation (PDF)
• Transcript: 2024-01-17 Bemidji Medical Center Closure of Inpatient Rehabilitation Services Public Hearing Transcript (PDF)

Submit a Comment or Question

If you have a comment or question about the proposed changes, you can share it by filling out the form at the link below until 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 18, 2023.

Comments and questions will be shared with United Hospital and will be answered during the hearing.

• Bemidji Medical Center Closure of Inpatient Rehabilitation Services Public Hearing Comments