Future of Ada Health Facilities in Question
By Lorna Benson
May 12, 1997

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The tiny northwestern Minnesota town of Ada is in the midst of a medical crisis. The city lost its only clinic, hospital, and nursing home to flooding last month. The facilities are doubly important because together they comprise the town's biggest employer.

At first Ada heard it would probably get enough federal funds to rebuild the hospital. But recent visits by federal inspectors have not been so optimistic. As Minnesota Public Radio's Lorna Benson reports, the hospital's future is now in doubt.

ADA WAS ONE OF THE FIRST communities to be hit hard by flooding. The town of 1700 was completely engulfed by water and had to be evacuated for a week. Federal disaster inspectors were already assessing damage in Ada by the time flood waters overtook Moorhead and eventually Grand Forks.

Ada Hospital administrator, Kyle Rasmussen, says his building was almost a total loss, and it seemed as though federal inspectors agreed - at least at first.

IT APPEARS THAT ONCE GRAND FORKS WAS HIT THAT THINGS KINDA STARTED HAPPENING DIFFERENTLY. I DON'T, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING TO THAT OR NOT, BUT I STILL KINDA WONDER IF SOME OF THAT GOT IN THE WAY. BUT I'VE BEEN TOLD IT'S NOT, BUT IT SEEMS KINDA COINCIDENTAL TO ME.

Engineers hired by the Ada hospital estimated the building and it's adjacent clinic and nursing home were at least 65% ruined. That qualified the hospital for enough federal money to pay for most of its reconstruction costs.

But Rasmussen says recent estimates by federal disaster inspectors put the damage at only 26%, which he says is ridiculous.

WE WEREN'T TRYING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OR GET AROUND THE RULES SET IN PLACE, AND WITH THOSE NUMBERS IN MIND, THAT WAS OVER THE 50% BARRIER THAT WE THOUGHT WE NEEDED FOR A NEW FACILITY. OUR ENGINEERS AND ARCHITECTS STAND BEHIND THAT, AND THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THE CONFUSION LIES, AND THAT'S WHY WE FELT PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT A NEW FACILITY WOULD BE BUILT.

The disparity between Ada's numbers and the government's numbers could mean there will ultimately be less federal assistance for the clinic, nursing home, and hospital. Rasmussen says it will cost $6 - 8 million to replace all three. The government is expected to kick in half. Rasmussen says the rest of the money will have to come from bank loans.

WITH RURAL HEALTH CARE THOSE MARGINS GET PRETTY SUSPECT WHEN YOU GOTTA PAY OFF A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF DEBT, SO THAT'S WHAT OUR BOARD'S GONNA BE EVALUATING HERE IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

If it comes down to sacrificing one of the buildings, the hospital is probably the most vulnerable. Ada's hospital only had 14 beds and its emergency room was unequipped to handle extremely critical care.

But physician assistant Judy Miller says abandoning the hospital would be a serious mistake

I THINK THAT IF THIS COUNTY DOESN'T GET A HOSPITAL BACK WITH AN EMERGENCY ROOM, EVEN A SMALL HOSPITAL WITH AN EMERGENCY ROOM AND CLINIC, I THINK THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE PEOPLE WHO DIE UNNECESSARILY. I KNOW THAT'S THE CASE. I DON'T HAVE TO GUESS AT IT. WE'VE SEEN IT MANY TIMES.

Miller says there are many patients who simply would not survive the 40-minute drive to Moorhead or the 50-minute drive to Grand Forks. She also says the hospital gives Ada residents a sense of security.

I THINK IT'LL BE NOT ONLY LIFE-SAVING, BUT VERY IMPORTANT TO RECOVERY FROM THE DEPRESSION AND THE STRESS. YOU HAVE TO FEEL SAFE AGAIN, AND IT'S HARD TO FEEL SAFE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE YOU FEEL LIKE ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN, AND SOMEONE SAYS THAT CAN'T HAPPEN, NO TORNADO'S GONNA COME THROUGH HERE. UGH. DON'T COUNT ON IT. NOT ANYMORE.

Ada's clinic has set up a temporary mobile office in an old Winnebago. It opened this week, and so far patients have been coming through in a steady stream. Patient Pat Bennish stopped by for a tetanus shot. She says there are probably those who think the community is too small to support the medical facilities it once took for granted. But Bennish has faith it will all work out.

WE NEED SOMETHING. WE NEED A CLINIC DESPERATELY, I THINK. BUT I JUST HOPE THEY CAN REPLACE IT. OH, I'M SURE WE'LL HAVE SOMETHING. I HAVE FAITH THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING - THAT PEOPLE WILL, YOU KNOW, HELP OUT, IF EVERYBODY WORKS TOGETHER.

Go to Flood of 1997.