The Hudson Medical Center Opens Its Doors to the Hudson Community - Transciption

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Our episode of the Optimal Health Podcast includes a transcript of the episode’s audio. The text is the output of AI based transcribing from an audio recording. Although the transcription is largely accurate, in some cases it is incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors and should not be treated as an authoritative record. Nothing that you read here constitutes advice, medical or otherwise. Always consult with a healthcare professional before making changes to a healthcare plan.

Transcript

[00:00:00] Pete Waggoner: Welcome to the Optimal Health Podcast from Hudson Physicians, getting you back to optimal health when you're feeling sick, stressed, overwhelmed, or run down. Today it's CEO Matt Brandt of Hudson Physicians, and we're gonna talk about the big open house that's coming up for the public on Thursday, January 12th from three to seven at the new building, which will be at 2651 Hillcrest Drive in Hudson.

[00:00:27] By the way, for you directionally challenged folks, it's on the north side of 94 and Carmichael a great facility that's gonna be opening up. And so we've got some ground cover here as it's here. Matt, can you believe it? 

[00:00:41] Matt Brandt: Yeah, I can't believe it.

[00:00:42] Thanks Pete. Yeah, I tell people to cross from Carmichael that's how I remember where it.

[00:00:46] Pete Waggoner: See, right? The directionally challenged, go to the landmarks. It's perfect. So, when you think back to this project, I mean, it seemed like it was a little ways out. I mean, very quick for the level and just the type of project this was and with [00:01:00] all the prefab and the things that went into how it was structured and whatnot.

[00:01:03] But I mean, that had to go awfully quick for you as a group. And basically, it's here. 

[00:01:09] Matt Brandt: No. Yeah, I agree. No. It was about three years ago that we were talking to the city just as a concept, and at that time we're like, ah, we got all the time. And now we're like alright, we got we're gonna be open January 2nd.

[00:01:19] So, and then obviously we're having an open house as we're opening about a week or so later. But January 2nd, we're actually open for business in new buildings, so we're really hustling to get to that date. 

[00:01:28] Pete Waggoner: So logistically, how in the world is that gonna work? You know, you've got everybody over in your current space, and then you gotta move everything over the highway.

[00:01:35] Is that an overnight move or is that gonna be like department by department? 

[00:01:39] Matt Brandt: Basically it is an overnight move. So essentially what it's working for us is for our employees and everything is that, we run urgent care on the weekends and stuff, and then the holiday. So actually we'll be moving over the holiday.

[00:01:50] So essentially Friday January or December 30. We'll start moving some stuff that night and then all day Saturday, Sunday, end of Monday we will be fully operational in the new building January 2nd. But the [00:02:00] urgent care will then run over the weekend. So we won't stop down, stop operations. We'll still see patients over the weekend, but during that weekend we will just be moving everything basically.

[00:02:08] Pete Waggoner: Wow. That's gonna be quick and impressive. 

[00:02:10] Have you been in the building lately? 

[00:02:13] Matt Brandt: Yeah, I was there last week and there's certain areas of the building that are almost finished where they actually have all the millwork done and all the carpets in and everything. And those areas are the fact that actually I think next week, like the urgent care is finalized, is gonna be finished the week after that, some of the admin office and then the week after that.

[00:02:30] So basically every week now, different spaces in the building get completed and kinda punch list, they go through it all. You walk through the space and you say, yeah, we just need to paint this little different colors, or, you know, do little minor changes at the end here. 

[00:02:41] Pete Waggoner: That's great. 

[00:02:41] Matt Brandt: But it's very close to being done.

[00:02:43] Pete Waggoner: So you mentioned urgent care. What are the hours gonna be in the days of that? 

[00:02:47] Matt Brandt: We are 365 days a week in the urgent care. So we're open holidays. The holidays, we're open 9-9. Then 9-9 on Sundays, and then Monday through Friday 7:30-9, and then Saturday is 8-9.

[00:02:59] Pete Waggoner: When you're [00:03:00] the public and you're gonna be coming to this event, what are some of the things that they're going to experience on this event, which of course remind everybody Thursday, January 12th from 3 to 7:00 PM be sure to stop by. When I walk in the doors, what am I gonna be greeted with?

[00:03:14] Matt Brandt: Well, there will be a nice greeter station, obviously. And you'll be able to walk in and see the new building right as the entrance area. 

[00:03:20] But then we'll have some people giving tours of the building. So for patients, open to the public for patients specifically. We'll actually take you into the new spaces. So you'll get to see walking to the different groups in the building. So you'll see associated eye and ophthalmology groups. So you can go in there, check out their space. 

[00:03:36] The urgent care, we will still be receiving some patients, so you can't go to all the areas, but you'll be able to come see the space. And as well as the imaging center on the first floor. So that's sort of the first floor layout and you'll see the cafe and there'll be some food there, stuff for everybody. 

[00:03:46] And then you'll go on a tour up to the second floor, which is all Hudson physician space. All dedicated to primary care. So you can kinda walk through the back, see where the new lab is and some the new equipment.

[00:03:57] And then on the third floor might be the most [00:04:00] interesting for patients. Cause that's something relatively new. But that is where the surgery center will be. So you'll able see someone specialty clinic that's in the surgery center area and you'll be able to walk back to surgery center. 

[00:04:09] The surgery center won't be operational yet. It'll just be doing test patients so you can actually walk into the OR and some of the places that normally wouldn't get to go. And that's where you'll see kind of the new technology stuff. That's amazing. They'll, to see the stuff where you can do all patients these days. 

[00:04:21] Pete Waggoner: Are you gonna have people there that are kind of demonstrating or explaining how this new technology is going to work? Or is that gonna be just logistically too difficult to do? 

[00:04:30] Matt Brandt: No, I think in some of those areas for sure, like in a surgery center, we'll have some of the techs there that run the equipment, some of the imaging. And then you'll probably have some nurses that are helping guide people through the, the clinical areas. 

[00:04:40] Pete Waggoner: Well, that's fantastic. Okay. So then in terms of what are your patients saying right now as far as the new space? Are you feeling as though they can't wait, or is it just take care of me, make me feel better? Is a little bit of a blend? What, what are you sensing the feedback from the public is? 

[00:04:58] Matt Brandt: Well, that's a good point.

[00:04:59] I do [00:05:00] know that a lot of top patients that we see will say is we get a lot of feedback that, wow, you guys are pretty cramped in your space. So we get that feedback and we've had that for a while, especially during covid when you started being more aware of like trying to spread stuff out. So I think patients have noticed that we do need new space as far as just you know, workspace area and volume-wise.

[00:05:18] And then we do get quite a few feedback. It's still kind of funny to me though. We still have some people asking us, you know, what is that new building? So I do laughing back cause they're asking us that question. So but quite a few people are just, you know, excited about it. You know, they drive by every day. They monitor the project or the progress and just like you, they're like, I can't believe it's arting the opening soon. 

[00:05:36] Pete Waggoner: It's really mind boggling to see how quick buildings of that size and stature can come up. Looking the way they do, functioning the way they do. When you used to watch, you know, it would take years for some buildings to be constructed and this is just absolutely remarkable and it's been fun to have all of that be a part of our podcast series where we are learning about how the buildings being put [00:06:00] together in wine.

[00:06:00] One of the things you mentioned about was the current facility being cramped for space. Did you leave room to grow in this one?

[00:06:09] Matt Brandt: We did, we did. So there's actually roughly about 6,000 square feet on top floor, that's kind of space for growth. And then we basically made the second floor for primary care, the ability to add six more doctors. And not have to actually like, kind of combine or shrink space at all for anybody. 

[00:06:24] So every doctor and every nurse team will have their own stations and their own three exam rooms, each, and all that stuff for six additional doctors in that space. So we do think that you know, every year we're basically not adding at least one doctor. So we have at least six more years of growth kind of already built out. And then some more space that we can add on if we need to, to build out. 

[00:06:43] Pete Waggoner: Over the past three to five years, obviously things have changed in medicine with, you know, you mentioned about being aware to be spread out a little bit more and, you know, create some things that maybe forcing you and other people in your positions to do things a little bit differently.

[00:06:58] What do you think has [00:07:00] changed the most from where you are now to what you were able to incorporate into where you're going now to benefit not only your caregivers, but the patients? 

[00:07:09] Matt Brandt: Good question. I think the transition, it's probably been more than three years if this has been happening, but it's probably was accelerated a little bit during Covid. And that is that large health systems, what they do is they consolidate their services in one area and then they sort of hub out to other areas.

[00:07:25] So it's happening. Hudson's been growing, but then not a lot of services are actually being delivered here in Hudson. So they're being sent back to regions or more or larger hospitals. And so I think one of the things that this project has really done for the community of Hudson and the Toronto areas is bring a lot of services to Hudson that did not exist.

[00:07:45] You would've had to drive into the cities to get. And part of that is the mindset of being local providers here in Hudson. At Hudson, growing big enough to support. And the other one is just the technology available to do those things. 

[00:07:56] So the cost of MRI machines has come down. [00:08:00] They're much more portable, they're much more easier to install in the outpatient setting. Same with surgery center equipment. We're actually talking about the possibility of having a robot assisted surgery unit installed. Those things used to be the size of a whole floor of a hospital. Now they basically fit in one exam room almost. 

[00:08:15] So these are the kind of things that really changed healthcare and made it much more easier to deliver care locally when you have the size of the community that Hudson is.

[00:08:23] Pete Waggoner: Yeah, and the whole area is growing. And then obviously you do a quick update on the project that's going on in New Richmond. How are things going there? 

[00:08:30] Matt Brandt: Oh, that's going well as too. So new Richmond, we're still scheduled for February 6th, so really January 2nd. And then the first Monday in February we open up New Richmond.

[00:08:38] Pete Waggoner: Hey, I got news for you, Matt. If you don't like change, don't work for you. How's that? Kidding. No, that's amazing. 

[00:08:45] Matt Brandt: No that's true. That's been healthcare in general last few years. 

[00:08:47] Pete Waggoner: Right, a hundred percent. You know, flexibilities. 

[00:08:51] And it's been interesting to watch how everybody's really adapted to their profession and being professionals about that. Adaption has been kind of a breath of fresh [00:09:00] air for the public. And knowing that, I think that your facility and your work is leading that charge, so to speak. And I think people who don't go in there a lot can now go into this new space that we have with this upcoming event in January.

[00:09:16] And they can take a peek at how things are, how things are changing, how you've evolved as a group. And I think it's just the word I always use is pro. You guys just feel really pro about what you do, and now this is done in the likeness of your eyes. Would you feel as though that's exactly what you're gonna see? That this is exactly how you as a group would want this to be? This building. 

[00:09:38] Matt Brandt: Yeah, I think you'll come in, you'll exactly have that feeling as a patient like you know, obviously you can see that Hudson Physicians has grown to be the next step, but also, all the services that you can get are right in that one building.

[00:09:49] I think that'll be for a large chunk of people, very, very convenient and something that would be nice to have. And then there's a little bit of it of what's old is new, like, I kinda laugh, [00:10:00] but talking Dr. Stoy who has been since here forever, 40 plus years, and he had a whole news article from 1993 he showed me.

[00:10:06] And the Hudson Medical Center was, the name of the hospital when it was owned by the city of Hudson and the communities around it. So it was owned by Hudson and stuff before it was a health partners hospital, so part of a bigger corporation. It was a locally-owned hospital. 

[00:10:20] And so Hudson Medical Center and then it had Dr. Stoy's practice in Hudson Physicians partnership with the Hudson Medical Center and the local community. And I thought it was a great picture and article. Arlon just made me think like we were just actually reinventing what we used to have, which is kinda interesting, but, It's just exciting that all that stuff is coming back to that kind of local feel.

[00:10:38] Pete Waggoner: Yeah, I think everything's gone from large, you know, how do we say it? It's interesting how everything is sort of starting to cycle back in other forms of business where you maybe didn't see the local stores or Delis and things like that. And you're starting to see more of that crop up.

[00:10:55] I think it's impacting a lot of business the way things are being done, let alone the healthcare [00:11:00] industry. And when I take what you did, and if I was in your position, I'd wonder this, and I'm gonna ask this question and you're gonna probably love me or hate me, I'm not sure. So it's a two-parter.

[00:11:10] Part number one is, when you look at this whole process of how it came together and when you brought the elements, what's the one thing that where you can look at this and go, man, that was awesome and that was exactly what I had hoped it would be. I'll give you part two next. What would that be?

[00:11:23] Matt Brandt: So I think for the building project, the number one thing that came to fruition that I wouldn't have get, like the hindsight's 2020 at the time were like, we were a little bit leery and risky, worried about the risk of taking on 16 acres on Carmichael that we didn't have, it wasn't part of the city yet. And that wasn't developed. Like we had to actually do everything ourselves. 

[00:11:46] You know, we're a physician group, so we don't do that for a living. But what it did that is really nice, it gave us a clean slate from a planning perspective that we didn't have to be, cause we initially started with a 90,000 square foot building concept that was mostly [00:12:00] just physicians partners.

[00:12:02] But by having all additional space, it led us back to the table to say, Hey, what else can we do? And so then turned into, well, let's talk to the oncologist. Let's talk to the orthopedic doctors and let's talk to the ophthalmologists and dermatology. And so the more we talked to all these people, the more they wanted to come to Hudson and just grew the building from 90,000 square feet to hundred 60, which really turned it into a medical center that has everything you could need in the building, which is what we were hoping for. 

[00:12:28] Pete Waggoner: So you basically answered that two part question in all in one, because the first part was gonna be what did you love about it and what, what would you have done differently? And the interesting part is that you you were looking at it in one way and then you realized you had a risk on the land that you guys were taking. Like do we really do this? And then you do and then it works out. And then you end up saying, okay, well we've got this acreage, we need to grow. Let's start talking to some people, and next thing you know, it worked.

[00:12:54] Is that fair? 

[00:12:55] Matt Brandt: That is fair. Very fair. We sort of had the idea in mind, You know, just like [00:13:00] anything in life, everything involves a little risk, and you have to take that first step. 

[00:13:03] Pete Waggoner: You don't know what they're gonna say. You know? You don't know if these guys... 

[00:13:05] Matt Brandt: Oh, yeah, no. You could say no. Yeah, exactly. 

[00:13:08] Pete Waggoner: Okay, so then if you turn the coin and say, okay, but that didn't work out, and then you had to pivot, what was one area that you could share that you probably felt you would've wanted to pivot from? 

[00:13:19] Matt Brandt: Well, on that same scenario, what we would've done for the building is the back half the property where we would've probably sold to assisted living or some other developer to help develop, basically.

[00:13:29] Or and I think we would've just maybe built the building in phases where I think this probably end up where we would've landed by, most likely we would added stuff. We would just built a building that was still gonna add stuff in the future, or instead we actually ended up getting, arrange interested right away. So we were able to build it all. 

[00:13:43] Pete Waggoner: So well, that's that, that works for me. I mean it's interesting. So it's more in planning and execution and less in structural. So the beauty part of that is the patient isn't really impacted in either one of those answers either way.

[00:13:59] Matt Brandt: Yeah. And I [00:14:00] think the goal was we wanted to get to the end result eventually. We just didn't realize it didn't happen as fast. 

[00:14:06] Pete Waggoner: I know. I mean like, so I'm sort of on the outside looking in and I just have been like, wow, what is going on here? This is really awesome. So, I guess it goes to prove one thing that if you wanna get something done, you can certainly get it. And you know, you always hear the old saying, if you put your mind to it, you can go where you wanna go. But that's certainly true of the case here. But I mean, you had a lot of people coming together in a million different directions making this thing work in a very short period of time.

[00:14:34] I think for people that are in your position, they can heed the confidence. Of, you know what, this can be done. And you did it with a lot of moving parts, and I think it's gonna be a great celebration for everybody to come out and see this. And, you know, they may see the end product, but what they don't see is all of the thought and all of the planning that went into what you put together for this new facility. 

[00:14:55] Obviously, if you miss the first part of this located at 2651 [00:15:00] Hillcrest Drive in Hudson, it's on the north side of Highway 94 in Carmichael. There is the big open house coming up on Thursday, January 12th from 3 to 7:00 PM that is open to the public and we really encourage, invite each and every one of you to come see what's gonna be an iconic facility. That is a really a neighborhood staple for everyone in the Hudson. 

[00:15:22] Matt Brandt: Yeah, that's gonna be great. Just across from Culver. 

[00:15:25] Pete Waggoner: Just across from Culver's, get a butter burger and some crinkle cut fries and off you go. Right?

[00:15:30] Matt Brandt: Exactly. 

[00:15:31] Pete Waggoner: And then visit you to make sure you feel better. I'm kidding. 

[00:15:34] Matt Brandt: Yeah. Yeah. We'll come talk to you about healthy eating after that. 

[00:15:37] Pete Waggoner: Exactly. Why not? Right? So. 

[00:15:39] All right, Matt, thank you for taking the time out and update us on the event that's coming through on January 12th and we'll certainly see you. 

[00:15:47] Matt Brandt: Talk to you later. Thanks, Pete. 

[00:15:48] Pete Waggoner: Thank you, Matt. For Matt Brand, I'm Pete Waggoner.

[00:15:50] That's gonna do it for this edition of Optimal Health, the podcast, I'm Pete Waggoner, so long everybody.