Morning Edition

COVID reflections: How one rural hospital has been managing in the pandemic

A man stands for a portrait in front of a well-lit front desk at a clinic.
Rick Breuer of Community Memorial Hospital in Cloquet, Minn.
Courtesy of Community Memorial Hospital

Saturday marks one year since health officials confirmed Minnesota’s first COVID-19 case. On Morning Edition, as we reflect on everything that’s changed, we’re checking in with some of the people we talked to in the early days of the pandemic, to find out how things are going now.

May: Cloquet hospital CEO on elective procedures, budget

One of those people is Rick Breuer, the CEO of Community Memorial Hospital in Cloquet. We first heard from him back in May, as Gov. Tim Walz was lifting his temporary ban on elective surgeries.

MPR News host Cathy Wurzer talked with Breuer for an update on how the hospital has been managing in the pandemic.

Click on the audio player above to hear their conversation.