U-M Health Reveals $28M Ionia Hospital Expansion Plan NOW

URGENT UPDATE: The University of Michigan’s Board of Regents has just approved a groundbreaking $28 million expansion of the U-M Health-Sparrow Ionia hospital located at 3565 S State Road, Ionia County, MI. This decision, made during their meeting on November 20, will significantly enhance healthcare access for local residents.

The ambitious project includes the construction of a 31,000-square-foot ambulatory center adjacent to the existing hospital. This new facility is set to provide essential services such as primary care, imaging, oncology, orthopedics, and cardiology, meeting the growing healthcare needs of the community.

Dr. David Miller, the University of Michigan’s executive vice president of medical affairs, stated,

“This new building will reflect University of Michigan Health’s ongoing commitment to serving our patients as close to home as possible by providing high-quality health care to all the communities in which we serve.”

Funding for this significant expansion will be sourced from U-M Health-Sparrow resources. The design and construction phase is projected to take 30 months, with the aim to bolster local healthcare capabilities.

Since its establishment in 2015, Sparrow Ionia has seen exponential growth in both inpatient and outpatient services, necessitating this expansion to accommodate increased demand. The Board of Regents memo highlighted the urgent need for more space for specialty clinics and primary care physicians to support planned growth in clinical services.

Connie O’Malley, chief operating officer of the U-M Health Regional Network, emphasized the importance of this development:

“We are happy to expand our community-based services and provide even more access to the clinical expertise of U-M Health. We are actively investing in the health care of the people of Ionia and expect this new facility will provide much-needed access to the best providers and best treatment options closer to their homes.”

This expansion follows the U-M Board of Regents’ approval of an $800 million purchase of the Lansing-based Sparrow Health System in December 2022, which officially integrated all Sparrow hospitals under the U-M Health System brand in April 2023.

Residents of Ionia can now look forward to enhanced healthcare services right in their community, a crucial step in improving local health outcomes. Stay tuned for updates on the construction timeline and additional details as this project progresses.