OTTERTAIL – The Ottertail Clinic will reopen to patients on Thursday Dec. 15, after several months of renovations.
In June, high winds and heavy rain severely damaged the roof of the clinic, said Tri-County Health Care President and CEO Joel Beiswenger.
“The storm completely removed our rubber membrane roof – it pulled it off and left it sitting in our parking lot,” he said.
Without the roof, the heavy rainfall caused “significant water infiltration,” he said. “There was damage to all soft materials in the building – Sheetrock, carpeting, furniture,” he said.
The interior of the building was badly damaged, requiring a total overhaul. “The building was stripped down to the studs and rebuilt,” Beiswenger said.
Now it’s restored and ready to reopen.
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That’s good news for patients in the Ottertail area, who have been going to clinics in Henning or Wadena while their clinic recuperated from its ordeal. About 1,900 patients a year are seen at the Ottertail Clinic, Beiswenger said.
And it’s good news for Dr. Jessica Grimes, the principal physician and full-time primary care and family medicine doctor at the Ottertail Clinic. She has been seeing patients in the Henning and Wadena clinics while the building was being restored, and will now be back full-time in Ottertail.
“We are significantly taxing our Henning clinic, so it will be good to get the Ottertail Clinic open again,” Beiswenger said.
Other medical staff at the Ottertail Clinic are Dr. Bobbi Adams, a family practice physician in Wadena who rotates into the Ottertail Clinic, and physician assistant Jessica Anderson, an advanced practice provider who serves patients at the Henning and Ottertail clinics.
In addition to the storm damage restoration work, the Ottertail Clinic is getting an aesthetic upgrade, complete with new amenities. And the clinic will now offer chiropractic services: Dr. Carissa Mitchell will see patients in Ottertail every Tuesday beginning on Dec. 20. Chiropractic appointments can be scheduled online at TCHC.org/chiro.
“We are very grateful for the patience our patients have had and their understanding as we’ve gone through the restoration process,” Beiswenger said. “We are in our 15th year of having a clinic in Ottertail, and we look forward to many, many more years there.”
Clinic organizers have coordinated a community open house set for Jan. 11, which will give residents a chance to see the new clinic while enjoying refreshments and snacks.
Prior to the Dec. 15 reopening date, patients are encouraged to call the Henning Clinic at 218-583-2953 to see their Ottertail Clinic provider. For more information about the new clinic and upcoming open house, visit TCHC.org or follow Tri-County Health Care on social media.
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Tri-County Health Care is a private, not-for-profit health care system based in Wadena. It offers care services such as primary health, surgery, cancer care, diagnostic imaging, obstetrics, orthopedics and rehabilitation.
As an independent medical system, Tri-County works closely with the CentraCare system in central Minnesota, with Alomere Health in Alexandria, with medical specialists in Fargo, and others. “We do a lot of creative relationships with the few remaining independents,” Beiswenger said.
Tri-County operates a hospital and clinic in Wadena, and serves the counties of Wadena, Todd and Otter Tail through five satellite clinics and two physical therapy clinics in Bertha, Henning, Ottertail, Sebeka and Verndale.
Tri-County is opening a new flagship medical facility on the north side of Highway 10 in Wadena on March 24, and along with the new building will come a new name – Astera Health. “It’s a name change and rebranding,” Beiswenger said. “I want to make it clear it’s not a merger or ownership change.” The new name is based on the Greek word for star.
The Ottertail clinic provides these on-site services, according to its website:
- Medical care for any illness or injury
- Minor surgery
- Laboratory testing
- X-rays
- Ingrown toenail removal
- Laceration repair
- Freeze or remove actinic keratosis
- Biopsy skin lesions
- Remove skin tags and cysts
- Wart care
- Gynecology , including pap tests
- Maternity care
- Midwifery
- Infant and child care
- Routine physicals
- Emergency care including fractures, lacerations and injuries
- Geriatric care
- Foot care
- Weight management and nutritional guidance
- DOT/Bus Driver physical exams
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