When we first envisioned our new 264-bed hospital, with its technology-driven, high complexity patient care, expanded clinical neurosciences and cardiovascular services, 20 operating rooms, and three radiology suites, it was easy to anticipate the excitement of that moment when we would open those doors to admit our first patients.

Then the pandemic hit, and we had to temporarily halt the project due to our economic recovery plan. And while it’s very fortunate we are in a position to start up the project once again, I can imagine that when many of us pass by that construction site, season after season, we may become a bit impatient waiting for opening day in Fall 2025, which seems so far off now.

But construction, as disruptive and slow-moving as it can be at times, is always a sign of progress. In particular, at Michigan Medicine, it is solid proof of our mission to advance health to serve Michigan and the world. For just as the building is in a constant state of development, our organization is always evolving.

We are not standing still. We are rapidly keeping pace with the national healthcare industry by building on our heritage and core values, deepening our partnerships and creating a statewide system of care to ensure we remain the highest quality health care system in the state, while also supporting our education and research missions.

Our goal is to increase access and capacity to care for more patients by partnering with our local community hospitals, as well as with other health care providers across the state.

By creating UM health system beds where community hospitals have unused capacity, we can provide more primary care off the hill. That leaves greater capacity for highly complex patients on the hill and in our new hospital, patients from our community and also from our partners across the state.

We have already formed important partnerships with Metro Health, MidMichigan Health, Trinity Health, Sparrow Health System and Physicians Health Plan. These strategic affiliations will take time to fully develop, but will yield lasting benefits. Like the construction of our building, it is all part of our strategic “long game.”

So while we look to the construction of our new hospital as a symbol of our future mission and vision for our organization, don’t think for one minute that we must wait for those doors to open before as we continue to evolve towards our path forward. 

Our care and services evolved dramatically, even during the pandemic. New initiatives in the past year include:   

• April 2021 –  We announced a letter of intent for the Cardiovascular Network of West Michigan, a collaboration with Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, Mercy Health Saint Mary’s, and Mercy Health Muskegon
• March 2021 –  As part of the Cardiovascular Network of West Michigan, we obtained a Certificate of Need to build a new open-heart surgery program for Metro Health – University of Michigan Health hospital campus in Wyoming, Michigan.
• Sept. 2020 – We opened the newly-expanded inpatient Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R) rehabilitation unit at St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea (SJMC).
• July 2020 – As part of our collaboration with Sparrow Health, we completed a minority interest investment in Physicians Health Plan (PHP), a health plan that has Sparrow as its majority owner.  
• June 2020 –  We expanded our joint venture with St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea Hospital to allow Michigan Medicine hospitalists (general care physicians) to provide care.
• June 2020 – In partnership with St. Joseph Mercy Health and Henry Ford Health System, we opened a cooperative laundry services facility, which provides immediate and long-term cost savings to all three organizations.
• March 2020 – We opened clinic for adult patients with bone and joint acute injuries at the Brighton Center for Specialty Care.

For more information, visit Hospital of the Future

Has your team been part of a project or activity that will help position us for the future? Tell us about it in the discussion box below.