Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Lutheran Health Network is planning to build a new medical campus to replace St. Joseph Hospital in Fort Wayne.
The decision to replace St. Joseph Hospital comes after more than a year of discussions between administrative leaders, board members and physicians at LHN. Although the current hospital has undergone renovations over the years, LHN said the new facility will help improve the patient experience.
"The existing hospital was built for the way medical care was delivered decades ago and we owe it to our medical staff and team members to build and equip them with the latest advancements in the industry," said Tom Kintanar, MD, family care physician at Lutheran Medical Group and director of medical education and board member of St. Joseph Hospital.
The replacement campus will include a multi-story hospital, ancillary medical buildings and a parking lot. The process to finalize a location and develop design plans for the medical campus in downtown Fort Wayne is currently in the works.
"A brand new, state-of-the-art medical campus in the heart of Fort Wayne will be a tremendous boon for our community, both in terms of enhancements for patients and caregivers, and for economic development," said Jerry Henry, chairman of St. Joseph Hospital's board of trustees. "The investment we're talking about is a concrete demonstration of commitment to Lutheran Health Network and to Fort Wayne."
The announcement to replace the hospital comes after numerous board members and top executives left Lutheran Health Network earlier this year. Tensions have flared between Lutheran Health Network and its parent company Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems since May, when CHS rejected a buyout offer from a group of LHN physicians.