Forged by a connection many years coming, Friday marked the blessing and ceremonial ribbon cutting of Franciscan Beacon Hospital. The new 92,500 square-foot facility will open its doors in La Porte, Indiana in the coming weeks.
Construction on the $21.6 million project began in November 2018, although the history of the venture between Franciscan Health and Beacon Health System spans much longer.
“We’ve worked together on many projects and it was a long process. It took about four years of conversations, negotiations, and discussions,” said Dean Mazzoni, President and CEO of Franciscan Health Michigan City.
The newly renovated Franciscan Beacon stands in the same location that Beacon Medical Group did for 50 years.
City officials and team members gathered to witness the blessing and tour the facility bringing new light and hope to the community.
“This has been a trying year. The pandemic has caused a lot of issues in our communities,” said Tom Dermody, Mayor of La Porte. “We are excited to welcome quality healthcare and to have [Franciscan Beacon Hospital] with us in our community.”
The air teemed with anticipation and enthusiasm at the tour of the new facility, featuring a 24-hour, 10-bed Emergency Department, eight inpatient beds, laboratory services, physical therapy, telehealth connectivity, and imaging and diagnostic equipment.
“We are really excited; it’s a beautiful facility. We’ve got great people here and it’s going to offer really great access to healthcare in the City of La Porte,” Mazzoni said.
“This joint venture is a symbol of the great relationship between our two organizations and of our commitment to La Porte and surrounding communities,” said Kreg Gruber, CEO of Beacon Health System. “We are honored to be working with Franciscan Health to offer this new hospital, providing high-quality convenient option to the people of La Porte.”
The partnership between these quality healthcare providers has led to an expanded facility and furthered the shared mission and values of both organizations. For more information about Franciscan Beacon Hospital, please visit https://www.franciscanhealth.org/healthcare-facilities/franciscan-beacon-hospital-2500.
