Beacon will build in Granger, welcome Bremen

Beacon Health System today announced plans to break ground on a hospital with an emergency department on Beacon Parkway in Granger, across from Beacon Health & Fitness. At the same time, Beacon will welcome Community Hospital of Bremen to the health system, pending final approvals.

By expanding its geographic footprint, Beacon will make it more convenient for patients in eastern St. Joseph County, southern Michigan and Marshall County to access Beacon’s network of primary and specialty care physicians and providers.

“Patients want the very best medical care close to home,” said Kreg Gruber, Beacon’s chief executive officer of six months. “As we prepare for the future of health care, we want to be easily accessible in our physical locations, as well as virtually, so patients can connect with clinical experts and providers when and where they require medical care.”

Beacon Granger Hospital, designed as a one-story building with 32,800 square feet, will be located immediately off the Indiana Toll Road’s Mishawaka entrance and exit, across from Beacon Health & Fitness on the north side of Beacon Parkway. The hospital will contain a full emergency department with 11 beds and sophisticated imaging and diagnostic equipment to quickly diagnose patients.

While the majority of patients will be treated and released — avoiding hospitalization, and following up in a more cost-effective office setting — Beacon Granger will also contain eight inpatient beds. Ground will be broken on the $25.8 million hospital this summer and Beacon Granger is projected to open in the summer of 2019.

Community Hospital of Bremen, a 24-bed Critical Access Hospital serving Bremen and the surrounding communities, is expected to join Beacon this spring. The hospital contains a full emergency department, diagnostic imaging and lab, surgery, medical/surgical unit, obstetrics, sleep lab, physical therapy and occupational health. The teams at Beacon and Community Hospital of Bremen already have a good working relationship, including the transfer of acute patients to Beacon’s Memorial Hospital.

“This really was a natural fit for us, and absolutely the best option for patients,” said David Bailey, chief executive officer of Community Hospital of Bremen. “As part of Beacon Health System, our community will have even greater access to convenient, high-quality health care.”

“When patients require advanced care, the clinical team at the receiving location will prepare for their arrival,” said Dr. Gerry Duprat, Memorial’s physician chair of the Heart, Vascular and Stroke Care Network and interventional radiology medical director. “Having specialists involved before the patient arrives gives us the ability to improve clinical outcomes.”

This geographic expansion will allow a larger part of our community to have access to 1,100 Beacon physicians and providers. Beacon has a full complement of clinical expertise in trauma, orthopedics, heart, vascular and cancer care. Beacon is also a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, connecting our physicians with world-class Mayo expertise close to home.