IU Health, Indiana’s largest health care system, is expanding with a new $421 million hospital in Fort Wayne. This development will add 500 more jobs locally, enhancing health care access in Indiana.
The acute care hospital will open in the second quarter of 2027 and will be one of three major health care systems in Fort Wayne, named the fastest-growing city in the Midwest by the U.S. Census Bureau.
“We came here to increase access for patients and to have an impact on driving the cost of care down here,” said Brian Bauer, president of the IU Health Northeast Region.
The hospital will be located on a 300-acre site and will focus on “acute care,” meaning overnight stays and serious illness versus same-day procedures.
By the time the hospital opens, there will be 500 jobs available, a feat that Bauer maintains is no small task.
“Recruiting great talent to staff the hospital is going to be a challenge, but we’ve done a lot of research and have some pretty detailed plans in place to make sure that we will have the staff to take care of our patients,” Bauer said.
Another obstacle the hospital faces is supply chain issues, according to Jon Vanator, chief operating officer for IU Health Northeast Region.
“We try and keep an eye on what other big projects are going on in the area that might impede us from the technical crews and staff, but we’ve got a solid plan in place, a good foundation,” Vanator said.
The staffing issue is something that is looming for many other health care systems across the country, according to Vanator and Bauer, but they maintain their retainment of staff will aid them in filling the positions.
“We retain over 97% of our clinical staff in this region,” Vanator said. “We’re hopeful that our great track record and really strong organizational culture will be a recruiting destination for the staff that we need.”
IU Health has partnered with several local organizations to fund health-related support as they establish their new facility. The company has awarded $3 million in grants to Fort Wayne community schools for a childcare program for mothers who are still in high school, millions of dollars for a career center for middle schoolers and granted $1 million to help support health care in the Burmese community.
“Really our vision is to improve the health of all Hoosiers, and that’s hard to do without a significant footprint in such a big community,” Vanator said. “We are excited to bring our value to this market.”
For more information about IU Health’s newest projects, visit iuhealth.org.
Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.
yeah but they cant afford to pay the employees they already have so whats the point of another hospital that isnt affordable