LAKOTA, N.D. — The city of Lakota is collaborating with Nelson County Health System to open a satellite health clinic following the closure of the city’s lone clinic late last year.
Amie Vasichek, city auditor and health system board member, said the recent closure of the
felt like an opportunity for the city to participate in establishing a clinic.
“Our hope is that, by providing this space and this clinic in our town, it keeps our residents in their homes longer,” Vasichek said. “As the population gets a little older, they tend to move away to have those services elsewhere, and if we can keep them in their homes a little bit longer, that’s great for us and them altogether.”
Local nursing home residents could also receive medical care close to their residence. Another potential benefit, Vasichek said, is that area residents with local jobs won’t have to take multiple hours off from work to travel elsewhere for basic, routine medical care; they also may be less likely to delay medical care if it becomes more easily accessible.
“That’s huge,” Vasichek said. “That’s great for everybody.”
Lakota, the seat of Nelson County, has a population of 683, according to U.S. census data. The city is located approximately 60 miles west of Grand Forks and 30 miles east of Devils Lake; those two cities provide emergency medical services to Lakota residents. Approximately 10 miles from Lakota, in the city of Michigan, there’s a clinic that’s open two days per week, also operated by Nelson County Health System.
“If we compliment them and open on the other days of the week, it would be even that much more beneficial for our residents,” Vasichek said. “We want to make sure that we fill that health care need in our community.”
The city was recently granted $104,633 in funding through the Rural Catalyst Grant program, which awarded a combined $2.5 million to nine rural communities throughout North Dakota “to support locally driven projects that strengthen community vitality and long-term economic development,” according to a press release from the North Dakota Department of Commerce.
The funding is designed to assist small communities with addressing local priorities, building capacity and establishing sustainable growth, the release said. Ninety-four applications were submitted for more than $18 million.
Vasichek, who helped write the grant, said she wasn’t very hopeful among such a large number of applicants, but decided to submit an application anyways — and it was ultimately awarded in full.
“That was pretty awesome,” she said.
Now the city and health system are working to close on the purchase of the former Lakota American building, located at 120 Main St. N., across from the county’s sole pharmacy.
“That’s our next step,” Vasichek said. “We’re really hopeful that we can get this done within a year, but we don’t have a ‘for sure’ timeline.”
The hope is that being located in a highly visible area of the city, among other similar resources, will encourage residents to utilize the clinic. After the building is purchased, it will be renovated and leased out to the health system, which will furnish the building, Vasichek said. No additional grants are being pursued, as the $104,633 covers anticipated start-up costs, she said.
“We’re just trying to improve access to our health care and support our local health system in our community, and that hopefully benefits residents across the region,” Vasichek said. “That’s our main goal. It’s simple, but it’s a lot of work ahead of us.”
Sav Kelly joined the Grand Forks Herald in August 2022.
Kelly covers public safety, including regional crime and the courts system.
Readers can reach Kelly at (701) 780-1102 or skelly@gfherald.com.