(ABC 6 News) – It was a long time coming to find out who will be the new healthcare provider in Albert Lea, and the Albert Lea Healthcare Coalition (ALCH) were pleased to finally break the news to everyone.

It was a packed house at the Albert Lea Fire Rescue Station as residents anxiously waited to hear about the future of healthcare in their community.

“I’ve been hopeful that we would get some other choices for healthcare, so I think that’s really needed in Albert Lea,” resident Karen Olson said.

It came as a big shock to residents when MercyOne announced they would permanently close their Albert Lea clinic back in August.

Finally, ALHC announced United Hospital District from Blue Earth and the Mason City Clinic have stepped up to fill the void MercyOne left behind.

With two healthcare providers now set to move in, it’ll make getting treatment more accessible to people in Albert Lea.

“It’ll make it much easier rather than driving 35 or 40 miles. I can drive one mile to the clinic here, so I would like that much better,” Olson said.

MercyOne didn’t leave much equipment behind when they said goodbye, but ALHC says there was one thing the new providers needed to keep.

“Both Mason City Clinic and United Hospital District made it clear that they would like that X-ray machine to stay,” president of the Big Island Rendezvous Board of Directors Mark Vanvooren said.

It took six months of negotiations, but in the end, ALHC was able to retain the X-ray machine.

It’s still going to take some time before the new providers are up and running, but many are excited knowing theses healthcare providers will soon be in Albert Lea.

The plan was to have healthcare providers here at the beginning of the year but negotiations slowed that down.

Mason City Clinic is set to open April 1st while the United Hospital District is set to open September 1st.