Construction of the new La Porte Hospital began earlier this year and is already making a difference in the area. For La Porte County, and the aging of the current La Porte Hospital facility, a new era of healing and wellness dawned in 2016 when hospital officials sold the hospital to Community Health Systems of Franklin, Tennessee and they committed to invest in a new state-of-the art hospital for La Porte County and surrounding areas. In that short time, the organization has re-focused efforts on providing quality, advanced medical care close to home while designing what will be the area’s newest hospital.
The construction of the new hospital, which began earlier this year is unfolding under the leadership of La Porte Hospital, Chief Executive Officer, Ashley Dickinson. According to Dickinson, “We want to stay in the position of driving good health for the residents of La Porte County and surrounding areas. We are successfully challenging ourselves to meet new standards for advanced quality care. These improvements in quality will continue when we move to our new full service hospital. The new hospital is a reinvestment in our organization’s future and the health of the region we serve.” Dickinson says.
While the new hospital will provide a state-of-the-art facility where residents can get medical care close to home, the construction itself is benefiting the area with added construction jobs and the use of local suppliers and construction-related firms.
“The construction of the new hospital continues on schedule.” said Dickinson. By year end the facility will be fully enclosed and then attention will turn to the interior during the cold winter months. The hospital will open sometime between October and December next year, according to Dickinson.
The new hospital project has already created 150 construction jobs and that number will increase to 300 at the peak of construction. In addition to new jobs, 65% of the trades and sub-contractors working on the project are based in La Porte County and Northwest Indiana; which translates to $55 million for the local economy. Whiles this translates into an economic benefit for the individuals helping to build the new hospital, it also means more business for local restaurants and retailers.
Additionally, La Porte Hospital is the only hospital in La Porte County to pay taxes. Their tax bill in 2018 was $2.2 million in local taxes. In addition to paying local taxes the hospital expects to continue to providing millions of dollars in charity care, purchases from local vendors, and donations to local agencies.
“Healthcare is always advancing”, she adds. “At La Porte Hospital, we will continue to recruit top primary care physicians and specialists and help line up the resources needed to offer the best possible care right here at home.”
Information about the new La Porte Hospital can be found at newlaportehospital.com.