Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic began transitioning ICU services from its Albert Lea, Minn., campus to its Austin, Minn., hospital Sept. 28, and Mayo officials say the transition has been going smoothly, according to the Albert Lea Tribune.
Mayo announced in June it would be transitioning ICU, inpatient and birthing services from Albert Lea to Austin, while transitioning behavioral health services from Austin to Albert Lea. Since the transition began, Mayo officials say there are roughly six patients in Austin's ICU per day, with fewer than one person transferred from Albert Lea to Austin each day.
Inpatient surgeries will be moved to Austin in January, the behavioral health services will be transitioned to Albert Lea in 2019 and birthing services will be transitioned to Austin in late 2019 or early 2020.
Activists in Albert Lea continue to voice their opposition to the transitions and have agreed to hold facilitated dialogues with Mayo representatives in the near future.