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Mayo Clinic Health System  announced Thursday that it will not renew lease agreements with the facilities in Blooming Prairie and Kenyon at the end of this year. 

These part-time clinics were open one to two days per week and have been closed since March when the pandemic began, to ensure safety measures were met and to return staff to their main locations to meet higher patient demand. The staff will continue to work at their main locations; no positions will be eliminated.

Mayo Clinic Health System will continue to serve all ages in these communities by offering in-person visits five days per week in nearby Mayo Clinic Health System locations including Owatonna, Faribault, Austin, Cannon Falls and Zumbrota. 

In addition, convenient virtual care options will continue to be available. Patients may also choose to schedule a video visit with their provider, via telemedicine, without leaving the comfort of home. Mayo Clinic Health System will continue to serve skilled nursing patients in these communities as part of a pilot program.

As better virtual and mobile care tools become available, Mayo Clinic Health System is working to find the right balance between in-person visits at our facilities and expanded access to more convenient virtual care. 

Mayo said in a press release Thursday that the needs of patients come first as they evaluate physical space needs and staffing resources in these communities. The hospital said it is confident that it will be able to continue meeting patient needs across the region through a combination of virtual and in-person care access models.

Mayo will continue to work closely with community leaders, local officials and providers and staff members to ensure a smooth transition for all patients and ensure they continue to receive high-quality care, close to home.