New Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center celebrates one year of patient care

St. Mary’s hospital in Duluth was founded by the Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica Monastery in 1888 and established a legacy of compassion, caring and medical innovation. In its new location, Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center is in the infant stages of building upon that legacy.

The hospital, with 342 single-patient rooms (344 rooms overall), breathtaking views of Lake Superior and Duluth’s hillside, and the same relentless commitment to expert care, is celebrating its one-year anniversary.

Just as the previous building, which opened in 1923 and operated until July 30, 2023, was located next to its predecessor, the same is true for the new St. Mary’s Medical Center. Remaining downtown and in the heart of Duluth’s Hillside allows us to continue making care immediately accessible for an underserved population, reducing health disparities and improving health outcomes. We’ve also been able to use the $900 million project as a catalyst for further economic development in the neighborhood.

That includes a revitalized Fourth Street corridor, which soon will feature three affordable-housing projects that received strong support from Essentia.

“We are honored to make these kinds of investments in a neighborhood that has been home to St. Mary’s for more than a century,” said Tamm Kritzer, senior vice president of hospital operations.

The new hospital has advanced health care across the region, serving as a medical hub for patients and future health care professionals alike. St. Mary’s hosted more than 150,000 hours of clinical training in its first year. Those hours benefited nearly 800 students — aspiring physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, respiratory therapists and others.

“It’s a blessing to carry on the pioneering spirit of the Sisters, who dedicated themselves to medicine and medical education,” Kritzer said. “We remain steadfast in the pursuit of Essentia’s mission to make a healthy difference in people’s lives, and the investment in this new hospital helps us extend that mission to more people in the communities we serve.”

While the hospital has come with exciting features — a beautiful chapel and modern dining spaces, 16 state-of-the-art operating rooms, valet parking and a rooftop garden — some things remain the same.

St. Mary’s continues to be the region’s only 5-star hospital according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Hospital Quality Ratings, a distinction very few hospitals nationwide earn. Similarly, St. Mary’s is the only Level I Trauma Center north of the Twin Cities, providing the highest level of emergency and trauma care in the region.

Patient-experience scores have spiked since the replacement St. Mary’s opened. Comparing the three-month period April 1 to June 30, 2024, with the same three months from 2023, the number of inpatients who would recommend the hospital has increased by 13%. 

Patients are especially pleased with the birthplace, which includes 13 birth suites; six antepartum rooms, for high-risk patients staying in the hospital for an extended time; three triage rooms; and a midwifery suite with three patient rooms. The birth suites are equipped with whirlpool tubs for pain management and comfort before and after delivery. They also feature floor-to-ceiling windows, with views of Lake Superior creating a relaxing atmosphere.

“It’s an honor for us to support and care for mothers on some of the most special days of their lives,” said Dr. Michael Kassing, Essentia’s section chair for obstetrics. “And this meticulously designed birthplace allows us to provide the best care to them and our tiniest patients.”

Ground was broken on the replacement St. Mary’s on Sept. 25, 2019. More than 3.2 million union worker hours were recorded leading up to the first patient day last July.

Here is a “by the numbers” look at the first year of the new St. Mary’s:

• More than 1,600 babies born.
• More than 14,000 surgeries performed.
• About 40,000 emergency department visits.
• Almost 17,000 hospitalized patients.
• About 346,750 patient meals.
• 33,627 chicken tenders, 20,958 burgers and 62,027 salad bar transactions at the Great Waters Café.