KARA HILDRETH JESSICA HARPER DERRICK WILLIAMS
Alpacas help Farmington farm diversify 2A Fireside Warming House opens after delays 7A College City Homes files for bankruptcy 7A
dakotacountytribune.biz dakotacountytribune.biz
DATE 24, ##, 2010 2009 JUNE
VOLUME 30, NUMBER # VOLUME 31, NUMBER 17
Dakota County Tribune Since 1884
B
U
S
I
N
E
S
S
w
e
e
k
Medical center beats test of time, changing market
l
y
INSIDE BIZ FORUM
Apple Valley Medical Center remains independently-owned after 34 years in business
The biggest issue facing legislators next session will not be the ailing budget. It will be same-sex marriage. 4A
T.W. BUDIG
by Jessica Harper
FORUM
DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
In a sea of Fairviews, Allinas and other network-owned medical centers stands an independently-owned clinic in Apple Valley. Apple Valley Medical Center is the oldest and largest of the two remaining independent primary care clinics in Dakota County. (The other independently-owned clinic is Burnsville Family Physicians which opened in 1982.) Apple Valley Medical Center opened in 1974 six months after the village of Apple Valley — population 14,039 — became a city. “I knew it would be a great place to do a start-up clinic,� said Dr. Peter Frederixon, one of the clinic’s four founders. Frederixon and doctors John English, David Widdifield and David Maas were able to finance the $800,000 center with a loan and built it on donated land surrounded by farm fields. Prior to the center’s construction, northern Dakota County had one primary health care provider but no hospital, Frederixon said. Photo submitted The city of Apple Valley tried for sevDr. Peter Frederixon (right) founded Aperal years to recruit physicians to build ple Valley Medical Center 34 years ago an emergency room center, but many with three other physicians to bring the doctors did not want to make the first primary care and emergency room App long commute from Minneapolis to le center to Apple Valley. loca Valley Med t the small rural town, he said. App ed at 1 ical 46 le Va C “At the time there wasn’t as good call lley. 55 Gal enter is axie (952 For of access — Cedar Avenue was not A 20,000-square-foot addition mor www ) 43 Ave e . 2 . com applev -6161or informa in developed yet,� Frederixon said. “I costing $8.5 million was built in 2007. This a t . g clin The ind lleymed o onlin ion, just had general knowledge to say allowed for 35 new exam rooms and for the ic is e e at ope pende icalcen Mon that I knew this would be a boompharmacy to double in size. ntlyn fro ter. day own m8 24-h thro ed a ing community in a short period That same year, the specialty center puru o ope ur urge gh Frid .m. to 8 ay a n se nt c p.m of time.� chased an on-site digital mammography, ula ven . n day re cent d has a When Apple Valley Meditrasound, CT and MRI scanning equipment. saw er th at is eek cal Center opened its doors, . While Apple Valley Medical Center was the center had a primary changing, so too was the business climate. care clinic and the city’s first Most primary care clinics were independentemergency room, which was ly owned until about 15 years ago when many physiserved by one ambulance. cians sold their practices to the networks, Frederixon said. Growth and change “Many saw it (joining a network) as less of an adMuch has changed over the last 34 years. ministrative hassle,� he said. “It takes a lot of work to The staff of four physicians has grown to 12 family practitioners maintain an independent practice.� minus founders English and Widdifield who have since retired — However, the Apple Valley Medical Center Board decided English two years ago and Widdifield earlier this month. it would be in its best interest and the best interest of the comThe emergency room was changed into a 24-hour urgent care munity to remain independent, Frederixon said. center, and a speciality center, full-service pharmacy, and a physical Decisions made by all medicine and rehabilitation center were added. The specialty center, operated by United Hospital, has 25 physiApple Valley Medical Center primary care physicians Stu cians from various specialty clinics throughout the metro, and the Steichen and Ken Pallas said they like the freedom and input physical medicine and rehabilitation center has 14 specialists. See Medical, Page 48A
In Br
ief
The loss of state local government aid will hit some communities hard as they are forced to raise property taxes. DON HEINZMAN 4A BEST PRACTICE
Individuals and businesses should take important steps when seeking a trustworthy f inancial advisor. 5A
BUSINESS 101
CAM STOLTZ
&
To be successful in a competitive world, people have to know you exist. Networking plays an integral role in achieving that. 5A
!""'! !
$
General 952-894-1111 Distribution 952-846-2070 Advertising 952-846-2011