KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Tuesday, Bronson Healthcare announced that it is moving forward with construction of a new freestanding ambulatory surgery center in Kalamazoo.
The project was announced in February 2020, but construction was put on hold due to the pandemic. It is now scheduled to break ground in mid-October with opening targeted for spring 2023.
The new Bronson Outpatient Surgery Center is being built at I-94 and 9th Street on a portion of a 52-acre site that Bronson is developing into a Health Village.
Future services being considered for the Bronson Health Village include medical offices, diagnostics, rehabilitation and other outpatient-related offerings that can further enhance access and convenience for Bronson patients.
“With more and more people choosing Bronson for surgery, our health system is continuing to invest in improving access to care across the region,” Bronson Healthcare President and CEO Bill Manns said in a statement. “Our new outpatient surgery center at Bronson Health Village in Kalamazoo will offer many new conveniences for our patients that will make their day of surgery experience a smooth one. Plus, from a transportation standpoint, the location is very convenient to get to and from 131 and I-94.”
The new $19.3 million surgery center is designed for four large operating rooms and will primarily serve patients undergoing outpatient orthopedic and sports medicine procedures.
Officials say this will not only create a more efficient, streamlined experience for those having surgery there, but it will also open up capacity and help reduce wait times for patients undergoing other procedures at Bronson Methodist Hospital.
Over a five year period, officials say the total number of surgeries performed at Bronson Methodist Hospital has increased 15%, so Bronson has been working with its surgical teams and with industry experts to assess how best to reduce wait times for surgical services.
By developing a new ambulatory surgery center, approximately 5,400 orthopedic-related cases per year can be shifted from the hospital’s 21 operating rooms.
These cases are all outpatient procedures performed on patients who do not require hospitalization and for whom the expected duration of care is under 24 hours.
“Advancements in orthopedic surgery and anesthesia techniques and technology have made it possible for surgeons to perform a growing number of bone, joint and spinal procedures safely and effectively in an outpatient surgical setting,“ Bronson Orthopedic Surgeon Bernard Roehr, MD said in a statement. “Patients and surgeons alike appreciate the ease and efficiency a freestanding surgical facility provides while still achieving excellent outcomes.”
In addition to Bronson Methodist Hospital, a variety of surgeries are also performed at Bronson Outpatient Surgery Center ─ Walnut Street in downtown Kalamazoo.
This facility, which has three operating rooms, will undergo some renovations next year to prepare it for continued used after the new surgery center opens.
Outside of Kalamazoo County, a wide range of inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures are performed at Bronson Battle Creek Hospital, which has seven operating rooms, and Bronson LakeView Hospital in Paw Paw, which has two.
For more information on surgical services at Bronson, visit bronsonhealth.com/surgery.
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