WSU Moving 230 Employees from Detroit to Troy in mid-July

[stinkytofu]

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...surgery-center

Ugh.

[Detroitnerd]

Hahaha. Wayne State University: Knocking down buildings in the city so it can make it look more like the place it really wants to look like: Troy, Mich.

[dmike76]

WTF WSU? I have mixed feeling about WSU. While they are one of the foundations of the revival of Midtown, they are making some questionable decisions. I'm with you on this Detroitnerd. I can't read the article since I'm not a subscriber, so what's the reason for the move? I don't have an issue with satellite campuses if you're going to hire new employees, but I don't like the idea of them moving people out of the D.

[rooms222]

If you enter through Google News, you can get the whole article...Some excerpts....

Wayne State University Physician Group will relocate about 230 employees from Detroit in mid-July to a new administrative and surgery center building in Troy it has co-owned with Oakwood Healthcare.

The four-story, 175,000-square-foot building -- the old Saturn Corp. world headquarters at 1420 Stephenson Highway -- was purchased in 2006 for $16 million in a 50-50 joint venture between Oakwood and the Wayne State medical group.

But the downturn in the economy starting in 2007 caused Oakwood and Wayne State to delay plans to build a health care facility.

In 2011, the Oakland Physicians Surgery Center LLC was formed to sell ownership shares of the multi-surgery center to physicians and preserve a previously approved certificate of need application for two operating rooms.

So far, 16 physicians have invested in the surgery center, including several physicians in the Wayne State medical group.

"We expect to add many more doctors as word gets out" about investing in the surgery center and about leasing medical offices.

The Wayne State medical group has a 5 percent interest in the surgery center, Frank said.

"As we have matured as an organization, we found a need to consolidate everyone in one location to gain efficiencies, reduce overhead and gain more control over our image and brand," said Frank, who was hired as CEO last year. "We also have room to grow and be a bigger presence in the region."



Wayne State University Physician Group is a nonprofit group practice affiliated with the university and medical school. It is the second largest physician organization in Southeast Michigan, with 2,067 physicians.

Mark Kelley, M.D., CEO of Detroit-based Henry Ford Medical Group, said operating an ambulatory surgery center can generate additional revenue for the Wayne State medical group.
"Historically, Wayne State was a federation [[of physicians). Now they have decided to have a practice plan that competes," Kelley said. "They will need to build enough scale to compete effectively" in the suburbs.

After ending a $12.3 million contract dispute with Detroit Medical Center in 2009, the Wayne State medical group has been profitable the last two years, earning $6 million in 2011 on revenue of $190 million, Frank said.

By moving most staff to Troy, Wayne State expects to save about $200,000 annually on rent by using the building there instead of multiple buildings in Midtown, said Nicole Mascia, the medical group's chief operating officer.

Knuff said six to eight employees will be hired at the surgery center to accommodate an expected 3,000 first-year surgery cases. Annette Bac-Lopez, a registered nurse, has been hired as the center's administrator.

"Surgery centers like this help to cut the costs of health care because they are so efficient," Knuff said. "Doctors like to bring their patients because it is convenient."

An urgent care center also is planned for the first floor, although Wayne State is still seeking an operator to run the after-hours primary care center from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Mascia said.

Physician and clinical offices will be located on the second floor with the third floor now unoccupied, Frank said. Wayne State spent about $2 million on building renovation costs.

"We have a lot of interest and expect doctors to locate here depending on their surgery schedules," Frank said. "We have doctors in several departments [[of Wayne State) who could share space here."

The fourth floor will house Wayne State's medical group employees, including those in finance, marketing, provider relations, human resources, information services and billing.

[JBMcB]

Seriously? People getting worked up over a couple of hundred jobs? Every major hospital downtown is expanding - this number is noise in the total equation.

[Zacha341]

I hear you... I think many have ambivalence regarding WSU. Some of their choices are nuts, yet their overall positive impact for the area is a factor.

Hahaha. Wayne State University: Knocking down buildings in the city so it can make it look more like the place it really wants to look like: Troy, Mich.

[bailey]

Seriously? People getting worked up over a couple of hundred jobs? Every major hospital downtown is expanding - this number is noise in the total equation.

Not only that, but it's been in the works for 6 years. Heck the 'coming soon' sign has been up at 15 & Stephenson so long it's falling/fell apart.

[jt1]

I certainly hope Detroit politicians don't stoop to Brooks Patterson's level and whine about OC 'poaching' jobs from Detroit.

Granted, we all know his hypocrisy if something to marvel at.

[adamjab19]

If this news upsets you then so should Henry Ford West Bloomfield, and Children's building a new place in Royal Oak, or the DMC Siani Grace in Commerce. Why do you think at woodward and 13.5 mile there is a billboard of the DMC saying come down to Detroit for your heart attack and the next bill board 500 feet away is asking you if you have a Beaumont doctor?

Health care is a chess match and the check mate is getting the nicest facilities near privately insured consumers or at least trying to lure privately insured customers to your nice new facility.