Destination Northland

Residential and retail development is not the only area impacted by the steady growth in the Northland. The surging population has supported expansion of healthcare resources in the area. Despite slightly higher healthcare costs in the Kansas City area compared to costs statewide, Northland residents have greater access to specialized services and providers, a boon for an aging population.

In terms of hospitals, Clay and Platte counties are well served, especially with several completing recent expansion projects. North Kansas City Hospital is the largest, with 351 beds and departments specializing in cancer, cardiac care, orthopedics, maternity, sleep disorders and pain management. The hospital also offers a variety of classes and outreach programs in addition to their medical services, making it a valuable part of the community.

Liberty Hospital serves some of the fastest growing residential development in the Northland. The hospital has 235 beds with 400 physicians, and houses one of only five Level II Trauma Centers in the greater Kansas City area. Those living near Barry Road, Smithville or Platte City have easy access to the two Northland campuses maintained by the Saint Luke’s Hospital system. The Barry Road campus is a 58-bed facility with maternity, cardiac, diabetes, homecare, rehabilitation and other services.

Residents of northern Platte and Buchanan counties also may utilize the well-established Heartland Health Medical Center in St. Joseph. This hospital offers an acute and trauma care center, along with cardiac, orthopedic and other specialty services. Patients in northeast Clay County or Clinton County have access to emergency room and other hospital services through Excelsior Springs Medical Center.

The region’s excellent highway network is also an advantage for healthcare. Using I-35 or I-29, even the most distant areas of Clinton County are little more than 30 minutes from these urban medical facilities. The areas also are well-covered by a range of county health departments, health clinics and related services that provide specialized healthcare, as well as services for lower-income residents.

Health care in the Northland is a surprising strength because of the unexpected range and depth of services.

One reason is the area's position on the northern edge of the metro area. The area's hospitals serve not only Clay and Platte counties, but also most of northwest Missouri extending to the Iowa border. As a result, these large institutions and many auxiliary programs are larger and more specialized than even the metro area might require.

North Kansas City Hospital is a 350-licensed bed, regional medical center. Forty-five-years old, NKC this year began a five-year, $135 million expansion that will add 130 inpatient beds, increased outpatient services and increase staffing to 800 employees. The hospital estimates the project will cost more than $132 million. The Hospitals most recent expansion cost $94 million and was completed in June 2000.

Liberty Hospital is a general acute care facility with 196 licensed beds. More than 1,400 employees make the hospital a major area employer. More than 500 physicians cover virtually all medical specialties at Liberty Hospital. Liberty is also one of five, Level II Trauma Centers in the greater Kansas City area.

In June of this year, Liberty Hospital broke ground for its second medical office building, the Medical Plaza East Building. Plans call for a four-story, 84,000 square foot medical office building with a 525-space attached parking garage. Estimated cost for the new building, parking garage and site work is $25 million. Liberty Hospital completed construction of its first medical office building just four years ago. The second building will allow physicians to expand the size of their medical offices to serve their growing volume of patients.

The Hospital's obstetrics services also will occupy approximately 21,000 square feet on the fourth floor of the new building. New space will provide state-of-the-art facilities for the service, which delivered almost 900 babies last year. The medical office building will be completed and ready for occupancy by the summer of 2004.

Saint Luke's Northland Hospital operates facilities on Barry Road near I-29 and in Smithville. More than 400 physicians and 500 employees serve the Barry Road Campus. The Barry Road campus was recently expanded to more than double the size of the hospital and increased the number of licensed beds to 80.

The Smithville Campus is a 92-bed facility founded by Dr. Arch E. Spelman in 1938. The oldest med- ical facility in the Northland, the Smithville campus has more than 50 physicians on staff. The region's first inpatient physical rehabilitation center opened here in 1969 and has grown today to be a regional referral center for patients and families throughout Northwest Missouri and the Kansas City area. Also that year, the area's first hospital-based home care program was opened in Smithville.

The newest Northland facility is Children's Mercy Northland, which opened in October, 2003 south of Metro North Mall. Children's Mercy Northland will provide urgent care and specialty clinics staffed by Children's Mercy physicians and community pediatricians. This facility will feature children-friendly programs. In addition to these four facilities, the Northland boasts a high number of medical offices, especially in Liberty, on North Oak near Highway 152 and near North Kansas City Hospital.

A wide range of special health care services include those provided by Tri-County Mental Health Care Services, a community mental health center with offices in the Human Services Center near Maple Woods Community College. Tri-County utilizes a unique "coordinated care" program to provide in-community services through providers in Clay, Platte and nearby Ray County, as well as cooperating with North Kansas City Hospital to offer mental health services there.

Both Clay and Platte County have active health departments that provide extensive services, ranging from low-cost programs for children and families to efforts combating possible terrorist attacks. These organizations operate from central offices in Liberty and Platte City while providing extensive satellite services throughout their respective counties.