January 19, 2023
The University of Minnesota and CentraCare are in discussions to create a new medical school that would focus on rural health.
The school, which would open in 2025, would be based in St. Cloud. The plan needs approval from the university's Board of Regents.
The partnership comes out of a desire to address the growing shortage of medical professionals in rural areas of the state. Rural patients have limited access to care, have to wait longer for appointments, travel further for care and have reduced services at clinics and hospitals.
The U of M opened its Duluth campus in 1972 to focus on rural health.
April 30, 2026
On April 27, the House unanimously passed a bill authorizing trained pharmacists to initiate, prescribe, dispense, and administer buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorder.
April 30, 2026
On April 27, the House passed a bill, with a 119-12 vote, that removes the current requirement that newly licensed Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) complete 2,080 hours of collaborative practice with a physician as part of their postgraduate training before practicing independently.
April 30, 2026
Last November, UCare announced it would be shutting its doors in 2026, leaving many providers with outstanding claims that had not been paid out.