UHD MRI Coming 2027

For years, getting an MRI at UHD has meant working around a schedule that isn't fully yours. The mobile MRI unit that visits campus has been a lifeline for our community, but it only comes on certain days each week. That means waiting for the unit to arrive, rearranging your week around its schedule, or in some cases, driving out of town just to get answers sooner.

That's about to change.

UHD is building a permanent, in-house MRI suite — featuring the GE SIGNA™ Artist system — set to open in January 2027. For patients, this isn't just new equipment. It's a fundamentally better experience, from the moment you schedule your appointment to the moment you get your results.

More appointments. Less waiting.

The biggest shift patients will feel right away is access. Instead of working around a mobile unit's limited days on-site, scheduling becomes far more flexible. That means shorter wait times for an appointment, and faster answers when you're trying to understand what's going on with your health.

A more comfortable scan, designed with real patients in mind.

If you've ever felt anxious about an MRI, you're not alone. Traditional machines can feel tight and confining, and lying still inside a narrow tube is uncomfortable for many people, especially those who experience claustrophobia.

UHD's new system was chosen with that experience directly in mind. For many exams, patients can be scanned feet-first instead of head-first, which significantly reduces that closed-in feeling. The system also uses lightweight, flexible imaging coils that rest gently on the body, almost like a blanket, instead of the rigid equipment most people associate with MRI scans.

The result: a calmer, more comfortable experience without sacrificing image quality.

Faster scans, faster answers.

Nobody wants to spend more time than necessary getting a scan done. The new system is designed for quicker patient setup and a smoother overall workflow, which means less time spent preparing for and undergoing your exam. And because the system produces clearer images in less time, your provider can review results sooner, make a diagnosis faster, and get you started on the right treatment plan without delay.

Care that stays close to home.

Having this technology permanently on-site means your care team has faster access to your imaging results, start to finish. No more waiting on a visiting unit's schedule, no more driving to another city for answers. Just advanced, reliable imaging available right here, when you need it.

This project is made possible through the extraordinary generosity of the Mike and Tami Hoffman Family Foundation, whose $1.5 million gift made this long-awaited addition a reality for our community.

Construction begins in August 2026, with the new MRI suite expected to be fully operational by January 2027.

Because when you need answers about your health, you shouldn't have to leave the community you call home to get them.

Why Here. Why Now. Why This Matters.

In 2010, when United Hospital District completed a major expansion of its Blue Earth clinic, a small decision was made that most people never knew about.

A shell space was built into the design, unfinished, unoccupied, but intentional.

One day, that room would hold an MRI.

For fifteen years, the room waited.

It became a storage area. UHD relied on a mobile MRI truck that came once or twice a week, enough to get by, but not enough to truly meet the need. Appointments were limited and schedules were tight. Patients sometimes had to wait longer than they should have, or traveled farther than they needed to.

The vision was always there but the timing wasn't, until now.

Why Here. Why UHD.

Mike and Tami Hoffman didn't choose to donate to UHD because of a strategy or a checklist.

They chose it because it is home.

Both were born here. Mike's mother served this community as a nurse for many years. Blue Earth and the surrounding region are part of their story, a place that shaped them and one they have never stopped caring about.

UHD has been part of that story. Under the leadership of CEO Rick Ash and the team, the organization has grown steadily, adding specialty services, expanding the Fairmont clinic, renovating the emergency room, and welcoming over 100 new employees in the last decade alone. Through it all, the commitment has remained the same: rural communities deserve exceptional care.

As that care has grown, so has the need for imaging.

CT scans, X-ray, ultrasound, MRI, these are not extras. They are essential to diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes. And while UHD has invested across imaging, the reliance on a mobile MRI was always a limitation.

Twice a week is not enough when your community needs you every day.

The Conversation That Changed Everything

It started simply, the way the most important things often do.

A conversation in town between Darrin Germann, the Environmental Service Manager at UHD, and Mike and Tami Hoffman. A few follow-up meetings with the UHD leadership team. A need that was clear that led to a decision.

Mike and Tami were inspired by the classic Christmas movie, Miracle on 34th Street, where an X-ray machine is gifted to Kris Kringle's care facility. With the belief that generosity and vision can make seemingly impossible things real, their family foundation turned that idea into a miracle on South Moore Street.

Not as a transaction, but as an investment.

An investment in a hospital that has meant something to their family. An investment in a community they care deeply about. And an investment in every patient who will now receive faster answers, earlier diagnoses, and care closer to home.

This wasn't just a donation. It was a decision about the future of healthcare in this region.

Why Now

Rural healthcare is under real pressure, rising costs, workforce challenges, and increasing demand on hospitals that were built to serve their communities no matter what.

The need for high-quality local care has never been greater. And the opportunity to meet that need, through the combination of philanthropic generosity and organizational commitment, doesn't come along often.

Donations like this ensure that patients don't have to choose between access and quality. They reduce travel, shorten wait times and keep care where it belongs, close to home.

This gift doesn't just meet a need, it moves the mission of UHD forward.

What Comes Next

With the support of the Mike and Tami Hoffman Family Foundation, UHD has completed the design process for the long-waiting space. Construction will begin this summer, transforming that fifteen-year vision into a state-of-the-art MRI suite. The first scans are planned for January 2027.

A room that waited fifteen years is nearly ready, and when it is, it won't just be a new piece of equipment, it will be a reflection of something bigger.

A community that invests in itself. A hospital that continues to grow. And a belief that where you live should never determine the quality of care you receive.

A Lifelong Connection Leads to Transformational Care for Blue Earth

Sometimes, the most meaningful change begins with a simple conversation.

For United Hospital District and the Blue Earth community, that conversation has led to something extraordinary — a $1.5 million gift from the Mike and Tami Hoffman Family Foundation that will bring a fixed, in-house MRI to UHD for the very first time.

But this story didn’t begin with a piece of medical equipment. It began decades ago, on Moore Street.

Mike and Tami Hoffman’s connection to UHD is deeply personal. Both were born at United Hospital District, at a time when local hospitals were the heart of rural communities. Mike’s mother, upon returning from serving as a Navy nurse on Guadalcanal in World War 2, went on to serve as a nurse at UHD for many years, caring for neighbors, friends, and families across the region. The hospital was not just a place of work; it was part of their family’s story.

That connection never faded.

The idea began to take shape during a conversation between Darrin Germann and Mike and Tami at a local restaurant in Blue Earth. As friends and community members, they began talking about healthcare needs in the area and the growing importance of exceptional care close to home. That initial discussion led to additional conversations with UHD leadership, including CEO Rick Ash, and over time, a shared vision formed. The Mike and Tami Hoffman Family Foundation would make a transformational investment to help UHD bring an in-house MRI to the hospital.

Their generosity will change what care looks like close to home.

An MRI at UHD means faster access to advanced diagnostic imaging, fewer long-distance trips for patients and families, and earlier detection of conditions where time matters most. It strengthens local care, supports providers, and helps ensure people in our rural communities can receive high-quality services without leaving the area they call home.

While construction, installation, and staff training will take place over the coming months, the impact of this gift is already being felt. It reflects what can happen when community, history, and a shared commitment to care come together.

This “Miracle on Moore Street” is not just about a new service or new technology; it’s about roots, relationships, and the belief that advanced healthcare belongs in rural communities too.