Trinity Health is an American healthcare provider headquartered in Minot, North Dakota. Trinity is a non-profit organization with more than 150 physicians and is the largest employer in Minot.

Trinity's facilities include three acute care hospitals (Trinity Health Hospital and Trinity Hospital-St. Joseph's in Minot and Trinity Kenmare Community Hospital in Kenmare), several clinics, and a 292-bed long-term care and retirement facility. Trinity Health Hospital has been designated as a Level II trauma center.

History

During the early 1920s, Lutheran pastors from across the Northwest Territory gathered in Minot, ND, to sketch out plans for a hospital.

In 1922, the Trinity Hospital Association was formed and within weeks ground was broken for a 30-bed hospital unit, the first of four such units to be constructed over the course of a decade.

In April 2008, it was reportedly considering building a medical park. In January 2009, it bought of land southwest Minot for a new hospital and medical park. On October 31, 2016, Trinity officially sought rezoning of the land for the expansion from agricultural to general commercial usage. In November 2016, it was reported that Trinity planned to offer $430 million in bonds to fund their expansion and to pay off previously issued bonds. In January 2017, Trinity chose TEG Architects of Jeffersonville, Indiana to design and coordinate the construction of their new expansion.

Cerner

In March 2014, Cerner settled a legal dispute with Trinity Health over allegations of defective financial software with a settlement of $106 million.

Hepatitis C

In August 2013, patients receiving contracted blood work and podiatry services from Trinity contracted Hepatitis C. Fifty-two individuals were infected, including 48 residents or former residents of ManorCare Health Services.

According to CDC data, the North Dakota outbreak accounted for one-fourth of all hepatitis cases nationally since 2008 and has been called the second-largest outbreak of Hepatitis C.

In April 2014, the victims of the Hepatitis C outbreak sued HCR Manor Care.

In March 2015, HCR Manor Care and 21 victims sued Trinity after it became clear that Trinity was the more likely source of the outbreak. HCR Manor Care and the 21 victims alleged that an employee of Trinity's outpatient laboratory service reused needles and didn't follow infection control practices.

In September 2016, Trinity reached a confidential, out-of-court settlement with 21 of the victims. On October 29, 2015, Eichler was charged with gross sexual imposition, a Class AA felony, and two counts of luring minors by computer, both Class B felonies. On October 7, 2016, Eichler's trial was rescheduled. In February 2017, Eichler changed his plea and agreed to plead guilty to one count of production of child pornography.

References

  • Trinity Health website