In the spring of 2024, more than 1,200 community members completed a survey about the new HealthPartners Lakeview expansion project. We’re grateful to everyone who shared feedback, which is helping to inform the design of our new hospital and specialty center. Feedback from the survey includes the community’s interest in:

• Enhancing patient experience and care by keeping quality care closer to home and adding more specialized care options. Respondents also placed importance on having an overall positive experience, including comfortable waiting spaces for patients and healthy food options.
• Improving the economy and community by creating jobs and strengthening partnerships with local businesses and organizations. We estimate there will be 250-300 new jobs created for our community in the first 5 years of operating the new hospital.
• Protecting the environment with sustainable energy sources and preserving open spaces, area landscape and wildlife.
• Minimizing disruptions by managing traffic patterns near the new building and surrounding neighborhoods. In partnership with the city of Stillwater, we’re developing plans to extend Curve Crest Boulevard to the west, creating an additional entrance designed to reduce traffic in the surrounding neighborhoods. Our latest design plan calls for Lakeview EMS to remain at its current location near Highway 36 and Greeley Street. EMS teams are trained to stabilize patients at the scene, which means lights and sirens are not always required to transport patients to the hospital.

For more details, read the summary of the survey.

Through a series of focus groups in 2024 and 2025, the design team continued seeking feedback from the community on the new HealthPartners Lakeview hospital.

What we heard:

• Preserve the natural environment: The community emphasized enhancing the hospital with amenities like trails, bicycle and pedestrian-friendly options, and outdoor spaces. They stressed the importance of integrating the hospital building with nature by preserving the existing landscape.
• Incorporate local art and culture: Discussion focused on how the building could reflect local history and culture, emphasizing public art and events that foster a sense of belonging. Community members stressed the importance of art that reflects local history and diverse cultures, using it for storytelling and impact.
• Make the hospital and specialty center easy to navigate: Attendees discussed making access simpler for patients, families, colleagues and community members. From parking to transportation, community members say visiting a health care facility can be frustrating at times. They envision a building that’s accessible for all ages and abilities, has easy wayfinding and navigation, and is integrated with the existing neighborhood trail system.
• Create a welcoming environment: The conversation centered on ensuring patients and visitors feel welcome and heard, with the best possible experience. The community emphasized creating a welcoming environment with stress-reducing spaces, child-friendly areas, multilingual signage and warm personal greetings.

As with the community survey, open house and outreach, the new hospital and specialty center will be developed with input from its future users. Feedback is crucial in shaping how the new building will integrate into and meet the needs of this growing community.