All of us at any point in our careers may not like a decision our employer makes. I am no different than you. Though I may not like the decisions, I do try to learn and understand a different perspective. I try to take out the emotion and go with what I know to be true. It’s not easy. I have lived in Freeborn County all of my life. I work for Mayo Clinic. For the past 2 1/2 years, it hasn’t always been easy to acknowledge living in a community with a campaign against “me.” I say “me” because every time I hear “Mayo Clinic should just leave Albert Lea,” it’s saying I should leave.

People have a right to be angry, sad and disappointed in the announcement of the loss of some services we likely took for granted in Albert Lea. I fall into all of those emotions, particularly when I hear of the proposed tax increase to support a private business.

With all the emotion, positive or negative, I hope you’ll consider a few points:

I want to open a hog operation or gas station. May I request assistance in funding my project with a tax levy?

The coalition is asking to receive commitment from local employers in support of the project. Will this clinic provide care to Medicare/MA patients, where 60% of our community’s patients receive funding from a government payer?

The focus of the coalition was to restore services lost to Austin. MercyOne executives were clear inpatient services (medsurg/birth center) would not be part of this project, not now or in the future. Where is the restore? Review an interview published in the Rochester Post Bulletin with Allan Baumgarten, independent health care analyst based in the Twin Cities who authored Minnesota Health Market Review.

Might I opt out of the tax increase since I will never use MercyOne? What about the other 875 employees of Mayo Clinic who live in Freeborn County? Or patients who seek care at the local VA Clinic?

MercyOne has indicated they will start with one MD and two NPs in primary care. How does this compare to staffing in Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea? We have 13 MDs and 15 NPs in primary care in Albert Lea and Freeborn County.

What financial obligation does the parent corporation of MercyOne have? If they are committed, why are they going door to door asking for money? MercyOne is owned by two of the largest health care conglomerates in the nation with a total revenue of $46 billion and 279,000 employees, which is more than four times the size of Mayo Clinic.

What diagnostic services will be available in MercyOne? Will patients travel to Mason City (50 miles) or other MercyOne site? How does this help the economic community of Freeborn County? Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea has the highest quality laboratory and radiology equipment, all a part of the Mayo Clinic standard.

Nearly 1,000 employees call the Albert Lea campus home — the largest employer in the county.

Rita Moyer

Albert Lea