Recapping Essentia media coverage from the month of April

Media coverage involving Essentia Health varied widely in April. Case in point: There was a story about the perils associated with shoveling heavy, wet snow early in the month and another story about springtime allergies later in the month.

One of our favorite stories was about a couple who kept their wedding date despite the bride having just come off a ventilator about 24 hours prior. They briefly left the ICU at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth for a bigger room in the birthplace that could accommodate a small wedding ceremony. The newlyweds expect to be back at St. Mary’s in late June for the birth of their first child.

Coverage spotlighted Essentia’s leadership on important legislation in North Dakota that will drastically limit burdensome “prior authorizations” for care, which had been required by many insurance companies.

There also was a lot of coverage around emergency department expansion projects in both Fosston and Virginia.

Each month, we share some of our favorite Essentia-related stories on the Newsroom. Here are a few of the highlights from April; please note that some of these stories require log-in credentials and thus may not be accessible for all.

Northern News Now (Duluth): Save the date: Duluth couple married in hospital after bride-to-be rushed to ICU

WDIO (Duluth): Bride gets married in the ICU after just coming off of the ventilator

Valley News Live (Fargo): New North Dakota law to ease medical stress for patients

Fargo Forum: North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong signs bill to put checks on AI health care decisions

Lakeland PBS (Bemidji): Essentia Health-Fosston to build new $12 million emergency department expansion

KAXE (Grand Rapids): Essentia Health expanding emergency departments in Virginia, Fosston

Minnesota Star Tribune: Essentia expanding ER for Iron Range, including more beds for mental health crises

WDIO: Essentia Health expanding their emergency department in Virginia

Fox 21 (Duluth): Virginia Essentia Health announces emergency department expansion

Northern News Now: Essentia Health-Virginia touts $13 million emergency department expansion

Prairie Public Radio (North Dakota): Dr. Moen and the Fargo Marathon

KVRR (Fargo): Shoveling snow may increase the risks for a heart attack

Duluth News Tribune: Our View: Gutting Medicaid a gut punch to Northland families

Northern News Now: Twin Ports nurses contract negotiations with Essentia to begin Friday

Fox 21: Minnesota Nurses Association starts contract talks with Essentia Health St. Mary’s

Becker’s: The ROI on AI at 8 health systems

Pine County News: April is allergy preparedness month

KFYR (Bismarck): You might have trouble getting an exact pollen count this year