Corewell Health is making a push to expand the services it offers to patients throughout Southwest Michigan with new facilities and initiatives, and one of its projects is the construction of a new integrated care center in South Haven Township.
We’ve reported township leaders are excited to welcome the facility, and at Monday night’s meeting of the South Haven City Council, members showed they’re just as eager to see the center open in the community.
The council heard from Corewell Health Southwest President Natalie Baggio, who told them a site has been secured for the 15,000 square foot center planned to open on County Road 388 next year. She said this is part of a broader effort.
“We are looking to expand our access to care across the tri-county area,” Baggio said. “There’s been several years where we’ve not had bricks and mortar or access to care, and we recognize that we’re only about able to serve 50% of our community for primary care services. And part of our strategy is to re-evaluate how do we continue to bring and provide more care locally so patients and communities do not have to travel for that care.”
Baggio said the new facility in South Haven Township will offer a range of services. It would have two separate entrances.
“One would be focused on an urgent care and the other part of the building would be focused on primary care and specialty care.”
Council member Tom Capps said the city just identified seeking such a facility as one of its strategic goals.
“From the whole council, thank you for doing this,” Capps said. “It’s been out of a lot of people’s mind and agendas that South Haven has lacked healthcare, and this is a good start for it. So I want to thank you very much for you guys pushing forward with the township and just know that the city wants you to help us all you can.”
Baggio said Corewell will maintain 12 to 14 doctors at the South Haven facility full time once it’s open. She also noted Corewell just last year expanded cardiac care options nearby with a clinic in Watervliet.
Mayor Annie Brown called the new facility in the township “such great news.”