Essentia Health hosting groundbreaking for state-of-the-art orthopedic center that will serve Brainerd Lakes area

Essentia Health is proud to announce a groundbreaking for a state-of-the-art orthopedic center in Baxter.

The groundbreaking will be from 5:30-7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13, at 14275 Edgewood Dr. N in Baxter (the former Camping World site).

The event is open to the public. Please join Essentia for a formal program as ground is broken on a facility that will transform care in the region. Attendees can expect refreshments, self-guided tours, renderings of the center and signage inside the building that will be renovated.

“This groundbreaking marks a major milestone in our commitment to delivering exceptional, accessible care to the Brainerd Lakes area,” said Sandy Zutz-Wiczek, vice president of operations at Essentia Health. “By bringing together a broad range of specialty services under one roof, we’re creating a center of excellence that reflects the evolving needs of our patients — all in a modern, state-of-the-art space designed to promote healing and recovery.”

The orthopedic center will include approximately 60,000 square feet of space and allow Essentia to supplement existing services with new offerings specifically designed to meet patients’ needs. The facility will include orthopedic surgery consultations, podiatry, rheumatology, endocrinology, interventional pain care and sports medicine. Comprehensive care will feature diagnostic imaging — X-ray, MRI and fluoroscopy — treatment and rehab.

The renovated space will have 72 exam and six procedure rooms as well as an indoor and outdoor rehabilitation gym. Patients will also have access to:

• Orthopedic urgent care, the first program in the region designed specifically to treat orthopedic injuries immediately.
• Baxter’s first drive-through pharmacy.
• Expanded spine services to bring expert care to adults with back and neck pain, including Essentia’s highly regarded SpineX program, which is designed to help patients with spine conditions by improving strength, flexibility and reducing pain.

About 40,000 square feet of space inside the building will initially be unused, with the potential to be built out based on patient needs.

This exciting investment in the Brainerd Lakes area will help Essentia consolidate its existing orthopedic services in the region and expand offerings to provide more complete diagnoses, outpatient treatment and rehabilitation for all types of musculoskeletal conditions in one convenient center of excellence.