Health system plans $160M hospital expansion

Health system plans $160M hospital expansion

A rendering shows part of the interior of the five-story Lakeland Medical Center Pavilion in St. Joseph. Courtesy Lakeland Health

A health system is planning a five floor, $160-million expansion to a hospital in the region to serve the next generation of patients.

Lakeland Health said yesterday that its board of directors has approved funding for the project at Lakeland Medical Center in St. Joseph, at 1234 Napier Ave.

A ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony on the new Lakeland Medical Center Pavilion should occur in October, and the project is slated for completion in 2020.

The five-floor pavilion will feature modern medical and surgical suites, a short-stay unit, imaging centers, an intensive care unit and education and community rooms.

The project will create a new main entrance for the facility that will focus on visitor amenities, including areas designated for healthy living and additional outreach programs.

The pavilion will also have private corridors for patient transport, ease of access and wayfinding both inside and outside the hospital and generous natural light, offering a healing environment.

Daniel Hopp, Lakeland Health Board of Directors chair, said the new pavilion ensures Lakeland Medical Center remains a “top-tier” hospital.

“Top-tier health care organizations need to continually invest and innovate in order to stay top tier,” he said.

Dr. Loren Hamel, president and CEO of Lakeland Health, said the system hopes that "through modernizations and the latest technology, we will be able to save more lives, restore health to more patients and provide the quality health care our community needs, so that they can remain close to home.”

The Lakeland Health system operates three hospitals, an outpatient surgery center, a regional cancer center, rehabilitation centers, two long-term care residences, home care and hospice programs and 34 affiliate physician practice locations.