• Mission: “An alliance of rural healthcare organizations working together to provide customized value and services that will meet the individual needs of its members”
  Medi-Sota, Inc. dates back to March of 1976 when the communities of Appleton, Dawson, Madison, Montevideo, and Ortonville came together with a common goal of attracting physicians to each of the communities through a joint effort, rather than a competitive effort. Through the years of added benefits to members, the consortium has grown to include 37 healthcare organizations.
  
  Some highlights of past ventures include:
  • Medi-Sota entered into a joint venture with MN West Community and Technical College to provide custom tailored education programs for staff in October of 1983. This working relationship still exists today and has been one thing that has kept the hospitals working together. Currently, the program offers minimum of 40 education programs per year.
  
  • Medi-Sota, Inc. and the Rural Health Alliance received a joint grant from the Otto Bremer Foundation in August 1995, to develop a physician recruitment program for participating members. This successful program has resulted in the placement of many physicians and mid-level practitioners in our region. In 2001, the Rural Health Alliance and Medi-Sota, Inc. Board of Directors approved a joint staff recruitment and retention program to address the workforce shortage in the service area. The Office of Rural Health and Primary Care awarded a grant through the MN Rural Flex Program to assist with the start up costs for this program.  Medi-Sota continues to recruit provider candidates; however RHA no longer is joint owner of this program.
  
  Previous funding opportunities that benefited the Medi-Sota membership:
  National Library of Medicine: Develop Library System of Coordination and Purchase Books & Journals
  Southwest MN Initiative Fund – March, 1992: Consortium Management
  Federal Rural Health Care Transition Grant – October, 1993: Develop a Rural Integrated Service Network
  Otto Bremer Foundation – August, 1995: Develop Physician Recruitment Program
  Otto Bremer Foundation – December, 1999: Tuition Costs for Nurses & Physicians for CALS Program
  Minnesota Job Skills Partnership Grant – 2000: Develop Internet Based Health Care Supervisory Training
  MN Office of Rural Health and Primary Care – 2001: Develop Allied Health Staff Recruitment Program
  Southwest MN Foundation – 2002: Support Staff Recruitment Program
  Otto Bremer Foundation – 2002: Tuition Costs for CALS Program
  MN Office of Rural Health and Primary Care – 2003: Tuition Costs for ALSO Training
  Otto Bremer Foundation – 2004: Support Training Initiatives in Emergency Healthcare
  MN Office of Rural Health and Primary Care – 2005: Tuition Costs for ALSO Training
  USDA RUS Distance Learning & Telemedicine Grant – December, 2005: Videoconferencing/Telemedicine Equipment
  FCC Pilot Project - 2008: Supported the Expansion of Existing Rural Telehealthcare Networks
  Otto Bremer Foundation –2017 & 2020: Support and Develop Provider Recruitment Program
  MN Medical Association Foundation - 2021: Support the Development of Quality ALSO & BLSO Trainers in the Region

Organizational Structure
Medi-Sota is a 501 c3 non-profit healthcare organization. The membership includes the board chair, chief of staff and administrator / CEO of each facility. The CEO's act as the Board of Directors and meet approximately 6 times a year. The Nursing Administrators also meets bimonthly.

Officers:
President: Brad Burris, Administrator, Pipestone County Medical Center
Vice President: Allen Anderson, Avera Tyler
Treasurer: Erik Bjerke, Administrator, Madison Healthcare Services
Secretary: David Rogers, Ortonville Area Health Services