It’s time to move on to plan B for McLaren, officials say.
‘We are going to continue to expand the depth and breadth of the health care services at our Clarkston campus serving Independence Township and northern Oakland County,? said Greg Lane, senior vice president and chief administrative officer. ‘We have always planned the development of Clarkston in a phased approach.?
McLaren’s $300 million plan for a hospital is on hold, and instead the health care group is planning to build a smaller medical campus with a 30-bed ‘short-stay? hospital with an emergency room.
The short-stay facility and emergency room would be a $30 million-$50 million investment in Clarkston. It would allow patients to stay up to 24 hours, which is on target with market needs, Lane said.
‘Today, the majority of health care services are delivered on an outpatient basis. A 30-bed short-stay hospital, combined with advanced technology and diagnostics and a 24-hour emergency room, can provide much of the services needed by the community,? he added.
Independence Township Supervisor Pat Kittle said the new proposal is a great plan and will be good for the community in several ways.
‘I love the idea. It will provide the emergency care we need in the community, and the services we need for our aging population. It will also spark interest in other development along Sashabaw,? he said.
McLaren’s plans for a $300 million hospital and medical campus in Clarkston fell through after continual rejection by lawmakers and a group that oversees a process to determine an area’s hospital needs.
In December, the Michigan Senate voted against changing the state Certificate of Need process, dealing a blow to McLaren’s hopes for the new hospital after judges, lawmakers, and a committee which oversees the process continually denied the request to move transfer 200 beds from a hospital in Pontiac to build a new facility in Clarkston.
However, starting the smaller project will just be the beginning of McLaren’s investment in the area.
‘As the community continues to grow, I believe the need for a full service inpatient hospital will become apparent. Until that time, this approach to health care delivery represents a very sound addition to the services already in place in Clarkston,? Lane said.
In 2009, McLaren Health Care Village off Sashabaw Road welcomed visitors to the campus. McLaren’s Health Care Village, which also houses Clarkston Medical Group, focuses on outpatient care and includes 20 specialty medical care services including the Great Lakes Cancer Institute.
That campus is a success and has a tremendous demand for care, said Kevin Tomkins, vice president of marketing. The new campus will be built in the same area as the Health Care Village.
Tomkins said the McLaren team is already working on plans to build the new ER and short-stay hospital. Details of those current plans include assessing the market, planning the size of the new facility and designing the building with an architect.
Since the project is over $2 million, the Michigan Department of Community Health must also approve the plans, which will not be a problem, added Tompkins.
‘We will also work closely with the Independence Township Planning Commission and Supervisor Pat Kittle,? said Tompkins. ‘We want to demonstrate to the township where the project may go in the future, and if everything looks good we will go forward.?
The ER will be be open 24-7 and be staffed with a team of physicians and health providers to handle full emergencies, or transfer patients to another facility if required.
Details on the new campus are still being planned out, and the plan will most likely include several health care services.
A study to determine the true investment in the facility will be completed in the next four months.