Fosston Responds To Essentia Health Statement

On Wednesday afternoon, R&J News told you about Essentia Health’s claim that the City of Fosston doesn’t have the authority to terminate its contract with Essentia to run the Fosston Hospital.  Fosston officials have issued a rebuttal, saying, “Nothing could be further from the truth. As the City Council made clear in its resolution, its ultimate goal is to restore local healthcare decision making to the community, preserving uninterrupted healthcare access and quality for decades to come. To that end, the City has the legal right to terminate the affiliation agreement—and, in doing so, return governance of First Care to the community where it belongs.  The City is disappointed that, rather than recognize this right, Essentia appears focused on misleading residents by publicly misrepresenting the City’s actions.”  The statement ends with “If Essentia persists on its current path, however, the City is prepared to exercise all of its legal rights to resolve these issues in the appropriate forum.”