Henry Ford Health System expanding in Metro Detroit to meet communities’ needs

Committed to providing high-quality, convenient care in Southeast Michigan, Henry Ford Health System will soon open three new medical centers to meet the needs of patients close to home.

“We’ve been expanding into communities for some time,” says Paul Szilagyi, vice president of Primary Care and Medical Centers. “We are continually evaluating how far our patients have to travel for care to ensure they have the care they need, right in their community.”
Paul Szilagyi, Henry Ford Health System's vice president of Primary Care and Medical Centers
To meet the community’s medical needs, the Henry Ford medical centers are set to open in Bloomfield Township, Royal Oak, and Plymouth Township within the next two years. Each site will be unique while incorporating the convenience of care only attainable through a fully integrated health care system.

All three sites will not only meet the medical needs of the community, but also spur economic growth in Oakland and Wayne counties. Working with developers and municipalities, Henry Ford is reinvesting in vacant properties as well as partnering with revitalization projects for each site’s development. The Plymouth Township medical center, which is set to open in 2021, is on the site of a former Kmart.

As Henry Ford Health System researched each community and its need, it became clear that patients in western Wayne County were driving farther distances to receive routine and specialized medical care from Henry Ford providers.

“It is our goal to keep patients within 15 minutes of the regular, emergency, and preventative medical care they need,” says Doug Ditri, vice president and chief operating officer of System Ambulatory Operations. “We understand that many individuals are able to drive farther for more specialized care, but we want patients, and potential patients, to be able to receive integrated care from the Henry Ford Health System family of providers for all of their needs.”

The multi-story, 120,000-square-foot Plymouth Township medical center, located at 40855 Ann Arbor Road, will provide specialty care services, as well as an emergency department and ambulatory surgery center.

“The Plymouth area has a need for emergency care and we’re pleased we’ll be able to provide that service for the community,” Ditri says.
Doug Ditri, Henry Ford Health System's vice president and chief operating officer of System Ambulatory Operations
Similar to Plymouth Township, there was a need for residents in the northern Pontiac and Bloomfield areas to receive care from Henry Ford providers close to home. Once the need was assessed, Henry Ford began working with REDICO, a commercial real estate development company, to incorporate a medical center into their vision to restore a property on Telegraph Road that has been vacant for more than 10 years after the recession halted development of the property.

“REDICO had a vision to have health care offered along with all of the other amenities that will be in this space,” Ditri says. “Instead of simply knocking down this entire property, REDICO decided to add to it. This site will truly be a one-stop-shop allowing the community to have access to everything they need, including medical care.”

In addition to offering primary care to patients in this area of Oakland County, this Bloomfield Township medical center will also include:

  • Cardiology
  • Neurology
  • Orthopedic services
  • Eye care services
  • Pharmacy
  • Lab and radiology
  • Walk-In clinic
  • Women’s health
  • Endocrinology and metabolism


“The Bloomfield Township site will have medical care, along with a collection of key stores, services, and housing facilities for all ages,” Szilagyi says. “Health care is the cornerstone of any community and we believe that Henry Ford is the cornerstone of health care.”

Henry Ford’s medical center in downtown Royal Oak will be the largest among the three new sites. It’s part of a new civic center development and includes a central park sponsored by the health system

“The Royal Oak area will have a medical facility to meet a number of needs right in its downtown,” Szilagyi says. “The difference with Henry Ford Health System is the integration and collaboration with all of our providers. A patient will have everything they need from a walk-in clinic and pharmacy to outpatient surgical care, as well as their team of doctors, all in one building.

The 6-story, 145,000-square-foot building complete with an attached parking structure will become the largest medical center among more than 30 multi-specialty ambulatory sites within Henry Ford.

Throughout Henry Ford Health System, facilities and providers are continually moving toward a more patient-focused concierge level of service. With the latest technology available, patients are able to check-in and take care of copays prior to arriving for a service. At all three of these newest medical centers, Henry Ford plans to provide patients with onsite navigation to get them to and from their appointments as well as communicate wait times. Each new facility will also be equipped with larger exam rooms designed for a more comfortable visit for every patient.

As is standard across all Henry Ford medical facilities, all patients have their health information securely housed in an individual electronic medical record. This allows doctors to access and update their information during and after any medical encounter no matter the location, and ensure a consistent level of quality of care

“We want patients to be a part of their care,” Szilagyi says. “With larger exam rooms, there will be more room for providers to make patients feel more part of their health care experience. Even being weighed will be able to be done right in the room. We’ve tried to think of everything we can to make the patient experience more comfortable and convenient.”

As a nonprofit organization, Henry Ford Health System is committed to putting patients first. These new facilities are an example of the continued investment it’s making to enhance the patient experience.

“Our mission is to improve people's lives through excellence in the science and art of health care and healing,” Ditri says. “Each new campus will connect our mission to each community with the exceptional level of care that our patients have come to expect from us.”

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