Munson Health Care Expands Regional Care with New Elk Rapids Clinic

The new facility offers specialized services in neurology, neurosurgery, and rheumatology to address healthcare gaps for rural residents.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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Munson Health Care has opened a new outpatient specialty clinic in Elk Rapids, Michigan, offering services in neurology, neurosurgery, and rheumatology. The clinic is part of the health system's regional care transformation plan to improve access to specialized medical services for rural residents who previously had to travel long distances to see specialists.

Why it matters

The new Elk Rapids clinic aims to address healthcare disparities for rural residents by providing specialized services closer to home, reducing travel time, missed work, and delayed medical treatment.

The details

The facility at 115 Bridge Street in Elk Rapids will offer neurology, neurosurgery, and rheumatology appointments, as well as walk-in laboratory services. Prior to the clinic's opening, wait times for neurology appointments in the region reached up to nine months. Munson Health Care leaders say the new location will help remove barriers to accessing specialized care.

  • Munson Health Care officially opened the new Elk Rapids clinic this week.
  • Before the clinic opened, wait times for neurology appointments reached up to nine months.

The players

Munson Health Care

A regional health system that provides medical services across northern Michigan.

Laure Glenn

The chief operating officer for Munson Health Care, who says the project is centered on improving patient access and addressing health equity.

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What they’re saying

“I talk a lot about access to services, as a way to address health equity. And so that has been really kind of a cornerstone to this regional care transformation plan is how do we improve access? How do we remove the barriers that our patients have in receiving care?”

— Laure Glenn, Chief Operating Officer, Munson Health Care (9and10news.com)

What’s next

Munson Health Care says more rural specialty expansions could be announced in the near future.

The takeaway

By bringing specialized medical services closer to rural communities, Munson Health Care is working to improve healthcare access and equity for residents who previously faced significant barriers to seeing specialists.