Clarian Health Expanding into South Suburbs
By Jason Thomas, The Indianapolis Star
May 15–Clarian Health, with major hospital outposts in the north and west suburbs, is now marching south.
The Indianapolis-based hospital system that includes Methodist and Indiana University hospitals and Riley Hospital for Children announced Monday it has purchased 160 acres in Johnson County just north of Bargersville.
Clarian, Indianapolis’ largest hospital network, declined to say precisely what it plans to do with the land, other than that it wants to enhance patient care in the area.
But the move reflects growing interest among hospitals for Johnson County’s burgeoning population and steady household incomes. It also continues the trend of major Indianapolis hospital systems following people — and their money — to fast-growing suburbs throughout the area.
Just two months ago, St. Francis revealed plans to transfer all of its Beech Grove inpatient services to a new facility being built at its campus at Emerson Avenue and Stop 11 Road, near the Marion-Johnson county line.
Clarian could offer outpatient services and urgent care at the site near Bargersville, Clarian senior vice president Bill Stephan said in a statement. The location at Ind. 135 and Whiteland Road also offers the potential to expand over time.
“Mostly, the growth down there was the largest motivator,” said Jon Mills, Clarian’s public affairs manager. “It’s a dynamic, vibrant community, and it’s a growing area.”
St. Francis and Johnson Memorial Hospital in Franklin are eager to learn more about the deal.
Johnson Memorial’s campus is about one-third the size of Clarian’s Johnson County site, and the hospital is discussing the possibility of becoming a partner of the larger hospital network.
“Obviously we want to be a partner, because we’re not looking for competitive opportunities; we’re looking for collaboration,” said Bill Oakes, director of business development for Johnson Memorial. The hospital also has regular conversations with Community Hospital and St. Francis, he said.
“We need more collaboration so individual communities can have the services they need.”
Clarian’s announcement will have no bearing on St. Francis’ $200 million expansion at its Southeastside campus, which is expected to open in 2010.
“We won’t know exactly how to react until their plans are finalized,” said Greg Torrison, director of community relations for St. Francis.
Torrison, however, did leave the door open to possibly partnering with the health-care competitor — although no formal discussions are under way.
Clarian Health’s other forays into the suburbs include for-profit hospitals in Avon and Carmel.
Its Johnson County site is across Ind. 135 from a commercial center called South Grove, which will include a 26,000-square-foot retail center being developed by Welbourne Cos.
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