Forum for Hospital Collaboration Focuses on New Project in Northern Ottawa County

The Forum for Hospital Collaboration, a working partnership between Holland Hospital and Spectrum Health, announces a new project to expand quality health care services and access in northwestern Ottawa County. The Forum is proceeding with plans to construct a new medical care center on property located southeast of US 31 and Robbins Road in Grand Haven.

‘Through this collaborative effort, our organizations will provide greater access to health care services for families, individuals and local businesses,’ said Dale Sowders, President & CEO of Holland Hospital. ‘Together, we can offer a comprehensive range of health care expertise for our patients who live in this region of Ottawa County.’

While the details of the new initiative are still being finalized, the planned medical care center will be named Health Pointe and is scheduled to open in 2017. Health Pointe will provide primary care, urgent care, radiology and laboratory services, and specialty physician services. It will also serve as the new home for Spectrum Health Medical Group primary care physicians currently located in Grand Haven.

The Boards of Directors of both hospital organizations have approved the project. Officials from the hospitals are working with the Grand Haven Township Board to obtain final approvals of the site plan in November.

‘Our steadfast goal is to positively impact the health of the communities we serve. This initiative is centered on meeting the needs of our patients in northern Ottawa County,’ said Tina Freese-Decker, president, Spectrum Health Hospital Group. ‘Today’s health care landscape requires unprecedented innovation and collaboration to ensure we are delivering the right care at the right time and place and for the best value.’

The care center is designed to integrate multiple medical care specialties and services into one convenient location. Referred to as an integrated care campus, this model of medical care delivery has proven to offer patients a better-coordinated, and more efficient and personal experience. As part of the care model, a shared medical record system will provide easy access to patient health information. Also, patients will go through one registration process ‘ regardless of how many specialists they will see during their visit.

The Forum for Hospital Collaboration, created in May of 2014, was established to further develop and implement collaborative efforts between Holland Hospital and Spectrum Health. The Forum focuses on projects that improve the patient experience while enhancing quality and providing value to businesses in the communities served. Previous collaborative projects between Holland Hospital and Spectrum Health include the opening of the Spectrum Health Heart and Vascular Center on Holland Hospital’s campus, the establishment of the Lakeshore Area Radiation Oncology Center (LAROC), the Lakeshore HMO (later Priority Health), and the operation of the Holland Community Health Center, which provides care to more than 5,000 uninsured and underinsured patients in the greater Holland area.

Holland Hospital serves the health care needs of the greater Holland area and surrounding communities in Ottawa and Allegan counties with a 189-bed main campus and numerous community-based locations. The hospital medical staff includes more than 300 primary care and specialty physicians with support from 2,000 hospital employees. Holland Hospital has been ranked among the nation’s 100 top hospitals for ten consecutive years and was chosen as HealthGrade’s 50 Best Hospitals’ Award in 2015. The 50 Best Hospitals Award’ recognizes hospitals in the top 1% of the nation for consistent clinical excellence.

Spectrum Health is a not-for-profit health system, based in West Michigan, offering a full continuum of care through the Spectrum Health Hospital Group, which is comprised of 12 hospitals, including Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital; 183 ambulatory and service sites; more than 3,100 physicians and advanced practice providers, including 1,100 members of the Spectrum Health Medical Group; and Priority Health, a health plan with about 653,000 members. Spectrum Health is West Michigan’s largest employer, with 23,100 employees. The organization provided $283 million in community benefit during its 2015 fiscal year. Spectrum Health is the only health system in Michigan to be named one of the nation’s 15 Top Health Systems’ by Truven Health Analytics for 2015. This is the fourth time the organization has received this recognition.