Tri County Hospital in Wadena, MN

Pros

• The staff were attentive, knowledgeable, and quick.
• The nurses were fantastic.
• The doctor was a great communicator who took extra time to gather family history; her analytical skills were impressive.
• Everyone there truly cares for and wants to help people.
• The radiology staff were great, smiling, and very professional.
• The front desk staff were friendly, and check-in went smoothly.
• The doctors and nurses were exceptional, answering questions and ensuring comfort.
• The patient's room was great.

Cons

• The facility is unprofessional, and a staff member lied on checkout paperwork.
• The hospital shows zero confidence; concerns are not addressed and patients aren't listened to.
• It's a total waste of time, where patients are not heard or taken seriously.
• It is one of the worst healthcare facilities, with condescending, arrogant doctors who show no care for patient input.
• The hospital discriminated against a patient and service dog, violating ADA and making a stressful situation worse.
• They were accused of abuse and failed to provide proper care; the place appears corrupt and money-driven.
• The ER wait times are excessively long, with rude, uncaring staff who do not explain what is happening.
• The billing department is nearly impossible to reach, and billing practices are opaque and overpriced.
• They rushed patients out without proper examination or explanations, neglecting injuries.
• They spread misinformation and lied about tests and bills, leaving patients with massive debt.

Review

Tri County Hospital in Wadena, MN is best suited for families seeking quick, local emergency access with a practical focus on basic urgent care and reliable bedside attentiveness. The facility functions as a down-to-earth community option where the nursing staff and several physicians can deliver solid, no-nonsense care when the emphasis is on symptom relief, imaging, and timely nursing support. It is not a luxury destination, but it can be a dependable first stop for non-specialist acute needs for residents who are comfortable navigating a setting with a mix of strengths and gaps.

Those who may want to consider alternatives are the families facing serious, ongoing medical coordination needs or those who prize a uniformly predictable experience. If a patient requires consistent follow-up, clear billing explanations, and a consistently respectful environment across shifts, the variability here becomes a meaningful consideration. High attention to costs, clearer care plans, and more stable patient communication are common expectations elsewhere, so options located in Perham, Staples, or larger regional centers such as St. Cloud warrant lining up as prudent contingencies for complex or recurring issues.

On the plus side, the standout element is the human touch from frontline staff. Several reviews highlight attentive, knowledgeable nurses and compassionate bedside care, with particular praise for certain doctors who listen, explain, and involve families in decision-making. In many encounters, patients report being treated promptly, with efficient imaging processes and a sense that caregivers aim to reduce distress in the moment. When care moments click, they click clearly: teams communicate what is happening, and patients feel seen and helped, which can make a difficult ER visit far more manageable.

Yet the other side of the ledger is hard to ignore. The ER at Tri County Hospital has produced a sizeable number of complaints about wait times, perceived disinterest from some clinicians, and experiences where patients felt unheard or rushed through without adequate explanations. Billing friction surfaces repeatedly, with reports of opaque charges or difficulty getting return calls, which compounds stress during already tense visits. There are also serious concerns raised about discriminatory or disrespectful interactions in some cases, and a pattern of inconsistent experiences that creates a sense of uncertainty about what will happen on any given visit.

From a decision perspective, this facility works best for families willing to engage actively in their care journey. Prospective patients should plan to verify the attending team at every visit, request timely updates, and ask for a point person to help interpret results and costs. It helps to arrive with a clear list of symptoms, a current medication roster, and a plan for post-visit follow-up with a primary care provider or specialists as appropriate. If cost transparency, consistent bedside manners, and guaranteed follow-through are non-negotiables, it is wise to compare with alternatives that consistently deliver those assurances, even if that means a longer drive for some visits.

In the end, Tri County Hospital offers a practical, local option where care can be excellent, especially when the staff members who shine are present. The strengths - compassionate nurses, capable imaging teams, and some clinicians who communicate well - can offset the weaknesses only when encounters align with those particular providers and moments. For families prioritizing predictability, cost clarity, and uniform patient experience, alternatives in nearby towns or larger health systems may provide the steadier balance of quality, transparency, and coordination that fewer reviews suggest. The right choice hinges on tolerance for variability and the ability to proactively steer care, costs, and follow-up in a setting where outcomes depend as much on individual providers as on systemic consistency.

This part of Wadena, Minnesota offers a convenient and accessible community with a range of amenities and services to support senior living. With multiple pharmacies, hospitals, restaurants, places of worship, transportation options, cafes, parks, and physicians in close proximity, residents have everything they need within reach. The area boasts a variety of dining options including fast-food chains like McDonald's and Burger King as well as local cafes like Owly Coffee Co. Additionally, there are several places of worship for spiritual fulfillment and numerous parks for outdoor recreation. For healthcare needs, there are multiple pharmacies and hospitals nearby as well as various physicians' offices available for medical care. Overall, this neighborhood provides a comfortable and well-rounded environment for seniors looking to settle down in Wadena.

Pharmacies

• Thrifty White Pharmacy (0 miles)
• Super One Foods (0.3 miles)
• Super One Foods (0.5 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (0.6 miles)
• Seip Drug (12.5 miles)
• Seip Drug (12.7 miles)
• Seip Drug (17.1 miles)

Theaters

• Cozy Theatre Manager Line (0.1 miles)

Hospitals

• Tri County Hospital Patients (0.1 miles)
• Tri-County Hospital Foundation (1.5 miles)
• Lakewood Health System (19.4 miles)

Restaurants

• Laura J Duchene MD (0.1 miles)
• Four Seas Buffet (0.2 miles)
• McDonald's (0.2 miles)
• Pizza Hut (0.3 miles)
• Burger King (0.4 miles)
• Owly Coffee Co (0.4 miles)
• Subway (0.5 miles)

Places of Worship

• Jehovah's Witnesses (0.3 miles)
• Epicenter Church (0.4 miles)
• St Helen's Episcopal Church (0.5 miles)
• Wadena Alliance Church (1.2 miles)
• Wadena SDA Church (1.5 miles)
• Southbrook Baptist Church Garbc (1.7 miles)
• Old Country Church (5.8 miles)

Transportation

• U-Haul Neighborhood Dealer (0.3 miles)
• Friendly Rider Transit (0.4 miles)
• U-Haul (1.3 miles)
• Dewey's Taxidermy (1.7 miles)
• Wadena Airport (4.6 miles)
• U-Haul Neighborhood Dealer (13 miles)
• Amtrak-Staples (17.3 miles)

Cafes

• Peet's Coffee and Tea (0.5 miles)
• Eagles Cafe (12.6 miles)
• Day By Day Cafe (17.4 miles)

Parks

• Bark Park (0.5 miles)
• Sunnybrook (0.8 miles)
• Blacks Grove Park (0.9 miles)
• Tapley Park (1.3 miles)
• Verndale Park (3.2 miles)
• Cottingham Park (15.8 miles)
• Staples Community Center (17.2 miles)

Physicians

• Johnson Family Spine Clinic (12.6 miles)
• Bertha Medical Clinic (12.7 miles)
• Midwest Family Vision (17.3 miles)