ProMedica announced plans Thursday to build a freestanding emergency room in Maumee on Anthony Wayne Trail near the I-475 interchange, and in the virtual shadows of St. Luke’s Hospital.
The new facility will be the second ProMedica Toledo Hospital ER in the region. A news release from ProMedica said the center will "support the growing needs of residents and businesses in Maumee and the surrounding area."
The facility will be fully equipped with the latest technology and will offer services such as X-rays, CT scans, ultrasounds, and lab work.
“ProMedica’s metro area hospitals already treat a sizable number of patients from Maumee and the surrounding area,” said Dawn Buskey, President of Metro Region Acute Care at ProMedica.”Our new freestanding emergency department will bring the high-quality compassionate care they count on even closer to home.”
ProMedica declined to grant The Blade an interview.
In a provided statement, St. Luke’s President and CEO Dan Wakeman stressed the importance of the hospital’s setup and services.
“St. Luke’s believes that comprehensive emergency care should be connected to a full-service hospital, especially when time matters and patient lives are at stake,” Mr. Wakeman said. “We have served the community with nationally recognized stroke and heart care (e.g., heart attack, pulmonary embolisms, etc.) programs for many years. We have provided comprehensive heart care services in this location for nearly 30 years. One of the benefits of receiving care at St. Luke’s Hospital is that you are cared for in a full-service hospital while staying close to home.”
Patients at the ProMedica ER will be able to receive treatment for a variety of issues, including chest pain, stroke, severe shortness of breath, trauma injuries, allergic reactions, seizures, and broken bones. If additional treatment — including surgery — is necessary, patients would be transported to Toledo Hospital. The main campus is 17 miles from the new ER.
The facility will also provide urgent care for minor injuries and illnesses.
In 2016, ProMedica submitted a proposal to the Federal Trade Commission to divest from St. Luke's, and the separation was later approved. When asked about a potential clause in the agreement barring ProMedica from building within a certain radius of the Maumee hospital, a St. Luke's spokesman said they were unable to discuss the terms.
The project will be part of the Sidecut Crossings development, which is currently under construction. Maumee Mayor Richard Carr said the news caught the city by surprise.
“Any time you bring in jobs, that’s a good thing,” Mayor Carr said. “How it impacts St. Luke's I don't know. But those types of jobs are always good. The growth is out this way in Maumee into Whitehouse and Monclova, so it doesn't surprise me.”
The development will also be home to a Toledo Clinic cancer and women’s health facility.
Construction is expected to begin this summer on the 11,000 square-foot center with a grand opening scheduled for summer 2021. About two dozen jobs are expected to be created.
First Published May 14, 2020, 6:14 p.m.
