Eastern Michigan University, along with Saint Joseph Mercy Health System and Integrated Healthcare Associates, announced a $6.5 million project Friday that will improve health care services in Ypsilanti.



WEMU's Jorge Avellan reports on a new health care center that will open at EMU.

A primary care, 25,700 square foot medical facility will be built on campus to not only offer services to students, staff, and faculty, but the community as a whole. The clinic will also have an urgent care center that will be open seven days a week.

David Brooks is President of St. Joe's Hospital in Ann Arbor.

"We think that central Ypsilanti is kind of underserved in the sense of primary care. There's access issues. Sometimes, patients end up coming to our emergency room for services that they could have gotten through a primary care physician, if there were those available or they had access to primary care," said Brooks.

EMU President James Smith says that in the process of helping those in the community, physician assistant students, and others will gain hands-on experience at the teaching clinic.

"Our P.A. residents all have, they have clinical rotations, so we will want them there. And we also know that our nursing students are in large number at St. Joe's, so we will want to make sure that they're there as well," added Smith.

St. Joe's and Integrated Healthcare Associates will pay for the $6.5 million project, while EMU will be responsible for bringing in patients. However, the university will fund the construction of a $1.8 million roadway to the facility. It will be located at Oakwood Street and North Huron River Drive. The clinic will replace the current Snow Health Center on campus and is expected to open early next year.

Here are other services that will be provided at the health center:

7-day-a-week urgent care services, including x-ray

Electronic Medical Record capabilities, including a 24/7 patient portal

Online appointment scheduling

A “Save your Spot” tool to manage urgent care arrival and wait times

Onsite pharmacy staffed by St. Joe's



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— Jorge Avellan is a reporter for 89.1 WEMU News. Contact him at 734.487.3363 or email him javellan@emich.edu