Specialty health care in GR - how do you rate? (Grand Rapids: school, university)

[Giesela]

I'm curious how GR rates on speciality health care.
Cancer, immunosuppressed diseases, neurosurgeons etc.

I currently live in another state, smaller city but it has 2 new hospitals, several older ones, 2 networks, decent Dr's and a wide variety of specialities and treatments that are pretty easy to get into without long waits.

Thinking of retiring in northern michigan but health care there is minimal. If push came to shove I'm wondering if traveling to GR would be an option, quality of care wise.

(Yes I know logistics can be problematic but that's not what I want to discuss in this thread).

[magellan]

Originally Posted by Giesela

I'm curious how GR rates on speciality health care.
Cancer, immunosuppressed diseases, neurosurgeons etc.

I currently live in another state, smaller city but it has 2 new hospitals, several older ones, 2 networks, decent Dr's and a wide variety of specialities and treatments that are pretty easy to get into without long waits.

Thinking of retiring in northern michigan but health care there is minimal. If push came to shove I'm wondering if traveling to GR would be an option, quality of care wise.

(Yes I know logistics can be problematic but that's not what I want to discuss in this thread).

My oldest daughter goes to an Endicrinologist at Spectrum Health downtown and I've heard people checking in at the desk from all over Northern Michigan, as far away as Mackinaw City.

Other than that I don't know how the area compares to where you're coming from overall.

[Giesela]

Thank you.

how about hospitals? New ones? Good ones?

[mjlo]

Originally Posted by Giesela

Thank you.

how about hospitals? New ones? Good ones?

Big ones

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Rapids_Medical_Mile

This link might give you some insight into health care in Grand Rapids. It talks about the Medical mile and the several hospitals and specialty centers on Michigan St in Downtown Grand Rapids. It's a sprawling campus that has several specialty programs including a huge cancer center, and a separate huge heart center. This does not include the sprawling campus of St. Mary's and Mercy Health's focus, which includes the new huge Mary Free Bed Rehab hospital a couple blocks away. Nor does that account for the research and medical trials coming out of the Van Andel institute, and the MSU school for human medicine with it's brand new research facility.

Over the last couple of decades the research cluster surrounding the Grand Rapids hospitals has had investments in the several billion dollar range. While it is not the Cleveland, or Mayo Clinic, there are still people coming to GR from all over to get specialized treatments. I do not know the exact data but the surge in medical specialties, and the talent it has attracted places Grand Rapids in a unique spot compared to it's peers. I have a hard time believing you wouldn't be able to find anything you would need here. The activity going on here was enough to make U of M Health finally realize there is a western side of Michigan so they bought Metro Health which is anchored on the south side of the metro. They were starting to lose patients who no longer needed to travel to Ann Arbor because of the programs in Grand Rapids.

Hope this helps.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by mjlo

Big ones

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Rapids_Medical_Mile

This link might give you some insight into health care in Grand Rapids. It talks about the Medical mile and the several hospitals and specialty centers on Michigan St in Downtown Grand Rapids. It's a sprawling campus that has several specialty programs including a huge cancer center, and a separate huge heart center. This does not include the sprawling campus of St. Mary's and Mercy Health's focus, which includes the new huge Mary Free Bed Rehab hospital a couple blocks away. Nor does that account for the research and medical trials coming out of the Van Andel institute, and the MSU school for human medicine with it's brand new research facility.

Over the last couple of decades the research cluster surrounding the Grand Rapids hospitals has had investments in the several billion dollar range. While it is not the Cleveland, or Mayo Clinic, there are still people coming to GR from all over to get specialized treatments. I do not know the exact data but the surge in medical specialties, and the talent it has attracted places Grand Rapids in a unique spot compared to it's peers. I have a hard time believing you wouldn't be able to find anything you would need here. The activity going on here was enough to make U of M Health finally realize there is a western side of Michigan so they bought Metro Health which is anchored on the south side of the metro. They were starting to lose patients who no longer needed to travel to Ann Arbor because of the programs in Grand Rapids.

Hope this helps.

Yes, Spectrum Health is massive now and one of the largest employers in West Michigan. The hospital campus downtown is huge, and they have hospitals all over West Michigan.

Mercy Health/St Mary's just expanded quite a bit over the last 5 or 10 years. Metro Health is now owned by University of Michigan and has a brand new hospital in Wyoming/Byron Center.