James O. Miller, Board Chairman of Firelands Regional Medical Center, believes there are a few key ingredients for a strong community, things like leadership, competitive schools, and a community bank. At the top of that list is an independent community hospital. In support of building that kind of strong community in Greater Erie County, Firelands recently announced and broke ground on the "Firelands Sandusky Healthcare Center". Currently under construction at the corner of Perkins Ave. and Columbus Ave., the Healthcare Center is slated to open Fall 2021.

Firelands Regional Health System, which encompasses Firelands Regional Medical Center and Firelands Physician Group, committed to this $25 million capital investment in 2019. They held fast to the vision it represents despite vast economic shifts in 2020 as the objectives this new center will achieve are critical to the future of the Health System. This multi-disciplinary facility consolidates primary care services under one roof. The convenient and central location embeds these services within the community, and its proximity the Firelands Regional Medical Center allows for better customer service, serving as an extension of the medical center campus.

Throughout extensive planning efforts, Firelands performed an assessment of the overall healthcare needs for Erie County and identified a shortage of adult primary care and pediatric health care providers in our market. The new center will serve as a primary care hub and include family medicine, internal medicine and pediatric physician offices, plus laboratory services, imaging services, and community gathering spaces. Directly addressing the Health System's and community's vision, family practice, pediatrics, and internal medicine are the three major service lines that help this system maintain its independence.

As Katherine Smith, Director of Quality for Firelands Physician Group says, "strong primary care is vital to the health of the community and the Health System". Primary Care is proven to help people live longer, feel better, and avoid serious health complications. Systems with strong primary care boast improved outcomes, fewer disparities, and improved costs. Achieving theses outcomes will have wide-ranging benefits for the community and the more than 300,000 residents across Erie, Ottawa, Sandusky, and Huron Counties that Firelands serves. In addition, its strategic central location will improve two key corridors in the community - Columbus Ave and Perkins Ave. As seen in the renderings, the design reflects Firelands' pristine standards.

In addition to the integrated, purposeful, and therapeutic design having benefits to the way patients experience care and the way providers deliver care, it also has benefits to the Health System. Firelands is always actively recruiting and bringing new physicians to our area. Firelands Regional Health System CEO, Jeremy Normington Slay, says, "It's due time our primary care facilities match the high quality of the physicians, staff, and health system we have in our community". Upon opening, the center will house ten providers, with capacity to house up to twenty. We thank Firelands for their vision for a strong community and their company commitment to invest in and look forward to more years of growth at this generational facility.

The 12 Days of Development email series recognizes and celebrates another year of progress in Erie County, Ohio. Throughout the weeks of December, you will receive email spotlights on a company investing, improving and innovating in our community. We can't capture it all, so let us know a neighbor we missed or what activities you've got planned to make the 2021 list! #ErieCounty12Days