Daily Herald Editorial

Long-awaited confirmation of Austin Medical Center’s expansion plans was a double dose of good news for Austin. Not only does the expansion promise to improve health care options for area residents, it will also bring a boost to the local economy.

The $28 million expansion, scheduled to begin this summer, will add more than 86,000 square feet to the Medical Center, improve the facility’s atmosphere and allow some patients who now must drive to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester to instead be treated closer to home. It will also mean more top-end jobs — nine physicians and 63 other full-time healthcare workers — in the community.

Having good health care nearby is a major quality of life issue. Austin Medical Center’s commitment to expansion and improvement means Austin area residents will be able to count on that health care access for a long time to come.