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Published on July 16, 2024

MyMichigan Medical Center Clare Breaks Ground on Expansion and Renovation Project

Group shot with people wearing hard hats and holding shovels digging in the sand.

MyMichigan Medical Center Clare hosted a groundbreaking for a 51,000 square-foot expansion and revitalization project the Medical Center. Pictured (left to right) Pat Humphrey, mayor, City of Clare; Alan “Bubba” White, vice chair, MyMichigan Medical Center Clare; Glenn King, vice president, MyMichigan Medical Alma, Clare, Mt. Pleasant; Larry Barco, former president, MyMichigan Medical Center Clare; Lydia Watson, M.D., president and chief executive officer, MyMichigan Health; Marita Hattem-Schiffman, president, MyMichigan Medical Center Alma, Mt. Pleasant and Clare; Erik Nimbley, M.D., chief of staff; Jane Sartor, Medical Center Volunteer and Fund Committee; Greg “Ryno” Rynearson, Fund Committee; and Tracey Jackson, president, Village of Farwell.

MyMichigan Medical Center Clare officially broke ground on the 51,000 square-foot expansion and revitalization project at a ceremony yesterday held at the Medical Center. MyMichigan Health leadership, board members, employees and community members joined in the celebration.

“This expansion and renovation project will create a Medical Center that not only meets the needs of today but also anticipates the health care challenges of tomorrow,” said Marita Hattem-Schiffman, F.A.C.H.E., C.P.M.S.M., president, MyMichigan Medical Centers in Alma, Clare and Mt. Pleasant. “We are committed to keeping patients close to home while offering high-quality and technologically advanced health care to residents of Clare County and beyond.”

Keeping the Medical Center in its current location became very clear to the MyMichigan team during the expansion and revitalization planning process. In order to do so, MyMichigan is working with Hord Coplan Macht as the designer and architect on the project, as well as Granger Construction who were brought in early to ensure the initial $40 million budget would have a maximum impact on patient care.

“The decision to expand our Medical Center in Clare comes at a crucial time when the demand for quality health care is ever-increasing,” said Lydia Watson, M.D., president and CEO, MyMichigan Health. “The expansion will include a brand-new Emergency Department and new private inpatient rooms which are just a few improvements that will enable us to serve our patients, offer the latest medical technologies and continue to fulfill our purpose in Creating Healthy Communities – Together.”

The expansion and renovations includes two construction phases. Phase one will include construction of a new two-story section that will house a new Emergency Department, new Inpatient Unit with all private rooms, and an expanded Imaging Department, including a fixed MRI Unit. Access to the Medical Center for 24/7 outpatient services, including lab, X-ray and CT imaging, will also be improved. Construction for phase one is expected to last 14 months.

Phase two of the project includes construction of a new main entrance and canopy, as well as a plaza connecting the campus aesthetically to the downtown area. Improvements include better patient entry and wayfinding, and complete renovation of first floor public spaces to include Patient Registration, first floor dining, the Shamrock Patch Gift Shop and access to outpatient services. Phase two will immediately follow phase one and is anticipated to take eight months. 

“Access to health care is getting harder to find in rural areas, yet it plays a critical role in saving lives and is an economical driver in the community,” said Hattem-Schiffman. “Our health care services reach out to the Farwell and Harrison communities with the Clare Medical Center serving as the anchor for the communities with life-saving care and advanced diagnostic testing.”

Named a Top Rural Hospital in 2021, the Medical Center in Clare has more than 400 employees, volunteers, physicians and other personnel. It offers a full range of services in specialty areas including diabetes, emergency care, adult trauma, heart and vascular services, hyperbaric oxygen, infusion services, neurosciences, occupational health, ophthalmology, orthopedics, primary care, pulmonology, rehab services, sleep disorders, spine and pain, surgery, women’s health and wound treatment.

A fundraising campaign for this project has been approved by the MyMichigan Health Foundation Board of Directors and is currently underway. Those who would like more information, or to make a donation, may visit www.mymichigan.org/givetoclare.