Protest planned outside Mayo HQ today over Albert Lea hospital consolidation

Residents of Albert Lea, Minn., are planning a demonstration today outside of the Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic headquarters to protest the system's closure of certain services at its Albert Lea hospital, according to CBS Minnesota.

Mayo plans to move ICU, birthing and inpatient services from Albert Lea to its Austin location while transitioning Austin's behavioral health program to Albert Lea. The two hospitals are 23 miles apart.

As a result, all inpatient services will be consolidated on the Austin campus, which will also continue to offer outpatient care. The Albert Lea campus will provide primary and specialty care, emergency care, pregnancy care and radiology as well as a lab, pharmacy, behavioral care, addiction services, and other oft-used services.

Though the services leaving Albert Lea represent less than 5 percent of care provided at the hospital, according to Mayo, residents are worried about having to travel to receive them.

When Mayo announced the consolidation plan in June, it noted the changes would occur over a span of several years as the campuses undergo remodeling.

The protest is scheduled to begin at 2:30 pm CST. Roughly 18,000 people live in Albert Lea. 

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