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Updated June 2008
MeritCare Health System
MeritCare Health System is a not-for-profit integrated health care system headquartered in Fargo, N.D. Founded in the early 1900s as Fargo Clinic and St. Luke's Hospital, MeritCare has a rich 100-year history of community involvement and social accountability, including patient-focused care, regional outreach and the commitment to serve all who enter our doors.
MeritCare's mission is to improve the health and quality of life of the people we serve. From award-winning care to state-of-the-art technology, MeritCare is proud to be your partner in health and healing.
- Service area spans 250 miles west to east; from Jamestown, N.D. to Bemidji, Minn.
- Largest private employer in North Dakota
- Employs 7,131 individuals; 5,908 full-time equivalents
- 20 locations in Fargo/Moorhead/West Fargo
- 19 regional clinics in Minnesota
- 1 regional hospital in Minnesota
- 8 regional clinics in North Dakota
- $711 million in total revenue
- $49.9 million in community benefit (FY 2007)
- 600 volunteers
- 1,200 LifeFlight transports per year
- Region's largest provider of home health care — over 40,500 skilled visits per year
- Largest hospital in North Dakota — 583 beds at two locations
- Nearly 24,000 hospital admissions per year
- MeritCare subsidiaries
- Child Development Center
- F-M Ambulance
- Healthcare Environmental Services, Inc.
- MeritCare Foundation
- MeritCare HealthCare Accessories
- Agassiz Assurance
- Over 48,000 visits per year to the Emergency Center, Fargo (Level II trauma)
- Over 2,200 births per year
- 29 surgical suites
- Over 19,000 surgical cases per year
- Largest medical group practice in North Dakota
- 450 physicians 1
- 36 other medical providers 2
- 190 physician assistants & advanced practice nurses 3
- 73 medical specialties
- Over 1.5 million medical group patient visits per year
- 6 walk-in clinics
- Over 117,000 walk-in clinic visits per year 4
- Includes MD, DO, OD, DMD and DPM
- Includes DC, PhD, PsyD, EdD and AuD
- Includes PA, NP, NNP, FNP, CPNP, CRNA and CNS
- Includes Fargo and Bemidji locations only
MeritCare Downtown Hospital
380 adult and pediatric licensed beds
- Includes a 61-bed Children's Hospital consisting of a 33-bed level III neonatal intensive care unit, 6-bed pediatric intensive care unit and 22 general pediatric beds
- Excludes 40 Family Birth Center bassinets
MeritCare South University Hospital
203 adult licensed beds
- Includes 33 transitional care beds
- CARF-accredited rehabilitation unit
MeritCare Thief River Falls
Northwest Medical Center
- 25 critical access licensed beds
- 14-bed transitional living facility for mentally-ill adults
- 10-bed treatment center for children with emotional or behavioral problems
MeritCare Accreditations
At MeritCare, receiving accreditation is taken very seriously. Every day MeritCare associates provide patients with a level of service that meets the highest standards. It's a level of care we're proud of, and a level of care you and your family can trust. For a list of MeritCare accreditations, click here.
The Joint Commission Accreditation Survey Public Notice
The Joint Commission may conduct an unannounced accreditation survey of this organization, MeritCare Health System, at any time. The purpose of the survey will be to evaluate MeritCare's continuous compliance with nationally established Joint Commission standards. Learn more about the Joint Commission accreditation.
MeritCare Awards & Recognition:
- Gallup Award for Healthcare Excellence (2006)
- VHA 2005 Leadership Award for Clinical Excellence in Heart Care (2005 VHA)
- 100 Most Wired Hospitals in the United States (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 Hospitals & Health Networks magazine)
- Top 100 Cardiovascular Hospitals (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Thomson)
- Top 100 Hospitals (2004 Solucient)
- Top 100 Integrated Healthcare Networks (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, & 2008 Modern Healthcare magazine)
- eHealthcare Leadership Gold Award for Best Recruitment Web Site (2004 eHealthcare Strategy & Trends)
- eHealthcare Leadership Distinction Award for Best Health Content for meritcare.com (2002 eHealthcare Strategy & Trends)
- America's Top Hospitals for coronary bypass surgery and heart attack (2003 Money Magazine — data obtained from HealthGrades)
- Consumer Choice Award for quality in healthcare and image (2000, 2007, 2008 National Research Corp.)
- Top 50 Cancer Center (1999 U.S. News & World Report)
- Health and Human Services Medal of Honor Award recognizing MeritCare's high rate of life-saving organ donations (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)
- Outstanding Achievement Award as a Community Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Program (2006 American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer)
- Top 50 Hospital - Urology (2007, 2008 U.S. News & World Report)
- Top 25 Connected Healthcare Facility (2007 HealthImaging & IT)
Medical Specialties