U-M Health Announces $28M Expansion of Ionia Hospital NOW

UPDATE: The University of Michigan’s Board of Regents has officially approved a transformative $28 million expansion of the U-M Health-Sparrow hospital located at 3565 S State Road, Ionia. This urgent development was confirmed during the board’s meeting on November 20, 2023.

The expansion will introduce a new 31,000-square-foot ambulatory center adjacent to the existing facility, significantly enhancing patient access to critical health care services in Ionia. The new center is set to offer a wide range of services including primary care, imaging, oncology, orthopedics, and cardiology, addressing the increasing demand for comprehensive medical care in the region.

Dr. David Miller, the executive vice president of medical affairs at the University of Michigan and CEO of Michigan Medicine, emphasized the importance of this project, stating,

“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 the expansion will be sourced from U-M Health-Sparrow’s resources, with design and construction slated to take approximately 30 months. Since its establishment in 2015, Sparrow Ionia has seen remarkable growth in both inpatient and outpatient services, necessitating additional space to accommodate specialty clinics and primary care physicians.

Connie O’Malley, chief operating officer of the U-M Health Regional Network, expressed enthusiasm over the project, stating,

“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’ $800 million acquisition of the Lansing-based Sparrow Health System in December 2022, which transitioned all Sparrow hospitals under the U-M Health System brand in April 2023.

As the construction progresses, residents of Ionia can anticipate improved health care access and enhanced services that will significantly impact the community’s well-being. Stay tuned for more updates on this monumental project that promises to shape the future of health care in Ionia.