Helping Bring Wellness to Rural Communities
August 22, 2026
Nor-Son Construction is helping rural communities offer better healthcare through committed relationships and thoughtful construction. By building state-of-the-art medical facilities, like the Lakewood Health Cancer Center, Nor-Son is helping to construct a lasting culture of community wellness and quality care.
For folks in rural communities, access to good medical care isn’t always close to home. And traveling for hours to get specialized treatment can add stress to already trying medical conditions. As rural populations grow and needs change, hospitals and medical centers must evolve and expand in order to provide the technology and specialized treatments for today’s needs.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has launched a $50 billion, five-year Rural Health Transformation Program to modernize rural healthcare infrastructure and expand access to care. As part of this initiative aimed at strengthening the rural health workforce and technology, Minnesota secured over $193 million in first-year funding.
Growing Communities Need Quality Healthcare
The Brainerd Lakes Area is an example of a region experiencing a rise in population. Availability of local care is an important consideration for businesses and individuals considering a move. “Quality healthcare is a cornerstone of growth and attraction in the Brainerd Lakes Area,” says Tyler B. Glynn, Executive Director of the Brainerd Lakes Area Economic Development Corporation (BLAEDC). “As businesses and individuals look to relocate, several questions are being asked, one of which is the healthcare that is available in the region.”
For Glynn, the answer is a significant advantage for the region. “We have excellent healthcare at our fingertips here in the Brainerd Lakes Area, with regional, state and nationally recognized organizations that call this area home,” he says. “Continued growth of healthcare in this region is directly tied to the attraction of residents we are experiencing, as they recognize that they will not lose access to quality healthcare by moving to the Brainerd Lakes Area.”
Excellence in care isn’t just about treating illness. It is part of a system that encourages preventative care, wellness, and support for families, employers, and employees. Access to quality care is part of the infrastructure of a healthy community. The people and businesses that move into a rural community want to know they can still have access to the health services they need.
Building Better Spaces for Better Health
Excellent healthcare depends on skilled physicians, nurses, and staff—but it also requires the right facilities to support the care they provide. In rural communities, healthcare buildings must offer the same high standards of quality, technology, and functionality found in urban medical centers. Thoughtful design, advanced technology, and specialized spaces require precision, expertise, and innovative construction.
A positive experience for both patients and medical professionals is largely dependent upon the space in which care takes place. In other words, excellence in construction allows for excellence in care. And just as important to those who live in a rural community is healthcare that is close to home. According to Eric Lien, Senior Project Manager at Nor-Son Construction, the impact reaches well beyond the walls of the facility. “Quality healthcare means convenience for the community because care is available locally,” Lien says. “It contributes to healthier people in the community and helps the local economy overall by creating jobs.”
Nor-Son partners with rural healthcare providers to update and expand facilities so they can provide expanded services for local care. At Lakewood Health in Staples, Nor-Son Construction has worked on hospital and clinic construction and renovations, as well as imaging department improvements. The company also constructed Lakewood’s Cancer Center, a more than 19,000-square-foot addition that brings cancer treatment closer to home for people throughout the region.
That local access is especially meaningful in a rural community. “In the case of the Lakewood Health System Cancer Center, we were able to help provide a facility for cancer treatment close to home,” Lien says. “Community members don’t have to travel to another city for treatment.”
At Cuyuna Regional Medical Center in Crosby, Nor-Son completed an operating room expansion within an existing, fully operational hospital. The project converted 13,000 square feet of administrative and conference space into an OR suite and required extensive coordination to protect hospital operations, manage noise and disruption, and maintain strict infection-control requirements.
Nor-Son also helped construct the $60 million Sanford Thief River Falls Medical Center, a 136,000-square-foot facility designed to expand patient access and services in rural northern Minnesota. The 25-bed critical access hospital and clinic provides more than 30 specialties.
Though different in size and scope, each project has a critical component: strengthening rural healthcare providers with the up-to-date infrastructure they need to meet patient needs.
Building for the Unique Needs of Healthcare
Healthcare construction presents unique challenges that differ from other building projects. “Relationships built over the years with repeat healthcare clients are an important part of the work,” Lien says. “You also have sophisticated mechanical and electrical systems, specialized infrastructure needs for medical equipment such as imaging equipment, and significant building code and inspection requirements.” Then there is the challenge of working in an environment where patient care often continues during construction.
In healthcare additions and renovation projects, construction teams may be working near patients who are particularly sensitive to infection. Careful infection-control measures are essential. Nor-Son uses strategies such as temporary construction partitions, negative air, and HEPA-filtered air scrubbers to help control dust and protect the healthcare environment. Successful construction requires more than technical expertise. It requires planning, communication, and a clear understanding of how the facility operates.
For a rural healthcare provider, the need may be to expand an existing facility, update aging building systems, or modernize technology. Nor-Son provides these solutions while taking an additional level of care throughout the construction process: minimizing disruption to patients and healthcare staff. The team works carefully to bring each project to life without interfering with the essential care already taking place inside the facility.
Nor-Son Construction goes beyond supporting rural communities by building excellent healthcare facilities. They lead the way by also taking care to support regional economies, working with local subcontractors and suppliers on its projects. On projects for the Cass Lake Indian Health Service, Nor-Son has also worked with the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Tribal Employment Rights Office to provide construction job opportunities for local tribal members.
A Partnership Focused on Community
Strong communities depend on strong partnerships. BLAEDC works with businesses and individuals exploring opportunities in the Brainerd Lakes Area. Nor-Son Construction helps support that growth by building the facilities and infrastructure the region needs.
Glynn says the partnership also helps reinforce one of the area’s key strengths: access to superior healthcare. “Nor-Son understands that as they attract key talent and work with growing and expanding businesses, BLAEDC will be able to highlight and promote the quality healthcare that exists here,” Glynn says.
That relationship goes beyond construction projects. “Any business or individual that partners with Nor-Son realizes that getting the answers they need—and their employees need—BLAEDC will stand beside them to assist,” Glynn says. “Having firsthand knowledge and experience in the area of quality healthcare, our staff is able to provide and promote the Brainerd Lakes Area’s services and amenities.”
Together, organizations and businesses like BLAEDC and Nor-Son contribute to a stronger foundation. The result? Communities thrive, local economies grow, workforces expand, and quality healthcare is available just around the corner.
Putting the Focus on Rural Health Needs
The national focus on rural healthcare underscores what communities across Minnesota already understand: Access to good medical care matters. Funding and planning are important, but turning a vision for better healthcare into reality also requires strong local providers, community leadership, and trusted partners capable of building facilities that support the future of healthcare.
For Nor-Son Construction, that means helping providers add more space, update buildings, and create a welcoming and healthy environment for patients and staff. And the impact extends beyond the finished building. A healthcare expansion brings services closer to home, reducing the need for patients to travel long distances for care. Construction projects can also support local suppliers, subcontractors, and employment opportunities. As rural communities continue to grow and evolve, so will the need for modern healthcare facilities. From critical access hospitals to rural health centers, patient care spaces play an important role in making sure community members can receive high-quality services.
For Nor-Son Construction, healthcare construction is about more than constructing a building. It is about helping create the infrastructure that supports healthier communities, stronger local economies, and a better future for rural Minnesota. Turning a vision for better healthcare into reality requires a trusted partner. Contact Nor-Son Construction today to learn how our expertise in healthcare construction can help your facility evolve to meet growing patient needs.