ANTRIM COUNTY - Munson Health care officially opened a new outpatient specialty clinic in Elk Rapids this week, marking an expansion of its regional care transformation plan. The facility is located at 115 Bridge Street and is designed to bring specialized medical services directly to the local community.
The opening addresses health care gaps for rural residents who frequently travel 40 to 50 miles to see a specialist. Health care leaders said these travel distances often result in missed work, additional child care costs and delayed medical treatments.
The facility at 115 Bridge Street offers services in neurology, neurosurgery and rheumatology. Munson Health care identified these specific specialties as areas with significant demand in recent years. Before the clinic opened, wait times for neurology appointments reached up to nine months. Health care officials expect the new location to help reduce these barriers.
In addition to specialized appointments, the Elk Rapids clinic provides appointment-based laboratory services. These lab services are available to patients Monday through Friday.
Laure Glenn, the chief operating officer for Munson Health care, said the project is centered on improving patient access.
“I talk a lot about access to services, as a way to address health equity,” Glenn said. “And so that has been really kind of a cornerstone to this regional care transformation plan is how do we improve access? How do we remove the barriers that our patients have in receiving care?”
Glenn noted that the geography of the region previously forced residents to travel to other cities for specialized treatment.
“Elk Rapids kind of that area was really a spot that we didn’t have good access to, as did either drive to Traverse City or drive up to Charlevoix,” Glenn said. “So it’s really part of this broader regional care transformation plan. And a community that we felt we could better serve by bringing specialty care closer to home.”
Munson Health care says more rural specialty expansions could be announced in the near future.