Lakeland Now A Division Of Spectrum

lakelandsigning0718
lakelandsigning0718

Lakeland Health is now officially a division of Grand Rapids-based Spectrum Health. The board for each entity has signed the deal and finalized it. Spectrum Health Lakeland President Loren Hamel tells WSJM News Lakeland’s 4,000 employees have now been added to Spectrum’s 26,000 employees.

“We’re all part of one big family, 30,000 healthcare providers strong,” Hamel said. “We have joined forces, joined teams, and are very excited about it.”

Hamel says the new Spectrum Health Lakeland won’t change things in the short term for patients.

“They’ll be seeing the same doctors, and getting the same high-quality care that they’re used to,” Hamel said. “We expect over a period of time, we’ll see some additional services and some additional relationship develop that should broaden that provider network.”

For example, Hamel says Spectrum has specialized services a provider like Lakeland could never have afforded or attracted. He points to things like treatments for rare forms of cancer, certain pediatric specialists, and heart and lung transplants. He says new signs will go up at Bronson Health Lakeland sometime in the near future.