Ryan Davenport, Fairview Media Relations (612) 672-4164

Robert Prevost, North Memorial Public Relations (763) 520-5062

Minneapolis, MINN (March 23, 2006) – On Wednesday, March 22, Governor Tim Pawlenty signed the Maple Grove hospital bill into law, authorizing the North Memorial/Fairview partnership to move forward with its proposal to build a new hospital in Maple Grove. North Memorial and Fairview are working together to finish design plans for the new hospital, which will open in 2009.

“We’re proud to have the opportunity to provide health care services to residents of the northwest metro,” says David Page, Fairview President and CEO. “By working together, North Memorial and Fairview will combine its expertise and bring health care closer to home for residents living in these communities.”

The new hospital will initially be 80 to 120 beds, but will be built to expand to as many as 300 beds when needed. Inpatient services will include emergency care, OB/GYN, pediatrics, heart, cancer, orthopedics, behavioral health services and more. The new hospital will have an open medical staff, allowing any physician to apply for privileges to practice at the facility. The hospital will also feature all private rooms as well as an electronic health records system. 
 
“We’re excited about what this new hospital means to communities in the fast-growing northwest metro,” says David Cress, North Memorial President and CEO. “Thanks to the tremendous support from the surrounding communities, we can now begin work to bring much-needed health care services to Maple Grove.”

The hospital will be built on the North Memorial site, which is located near the intersection of Interstate 94 and the future Highway 610. This location was one of the reasons the Maple Grove City Council unanimously endorsed the North Memorial/Fairview partnership in January. The City Council also praised the complementary nature of the partnership and recognized the long-term commitment to the community by both organizations.

About Fairview Health Services
Fairview Health Services is an integrated health care system, providing care from prevention and disease management to the most complex of life-threatening injuries and illnesses as well as senior care and end-of-life services.  University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview and University of Minnesota Children's Hospital, Fairview are part of this care network.  Fairview, the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center and the University of Minnesota Physicians partner to educate and train two-thirds of Minnesota’s health care professionals and provide medical services to citizens from across the state. 

About North Memorial
North Memorial has provided more than 50 years of service to communities in the northwest metro. North Memorial consists of North Memorial Medical Center, a Level I Trauma Center, and North Memorial Ambulance, which currently provides the majority of ambulance and emergency care for the northwest corridor area. In addition to emergency and trauma services, North Memorial is recognized for its outstanding cardiology, oncology, and women and children’s services as well as its numerous primary care and specialty clinics throughout the northwestern Twin Cities. 

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