McLaren Central Michigan Breathes New Life Into Community Through Grant
As Isabella County’s only hospital and the city’s only designated trauma center, McLaren Central Michigan is working to keep more critical care close to home. The hospital recently sought support to purchase four new critical-care ventilators, an essential step toward its goal of serving as a central hub for residents’ health care needs.
“With McLaren Central Michigan being the only hospital in Isabella County, providing this level of care to our community is important,” said Nicole Sanders, director of marketing and business development. “Securing these capabilities ensures our community members can receive critical care close to home.”
Founded in 1943, McLaren Central Michigan has evolved through multiple renovations and expansions, including the addition of a cancer center and birthing center and, more recently, an emergency department renovation and related additions. To stay on the leading edge of patient care, clinical engineers routinely monitor and service hospital equipment. During those checks, they identified that the hospital’s ventilators were nearing expiration.
Critical-care ventilators are life-support devices used in the ICU to provide full or partial mechanical breathing support for patients with severe respiratory failure following trauma or illness, and they are often used for patients post-surgery.
Funding for the ventilators was supported through the McLaren Central Michigan Fund (Designated Fund), established in 1997 by then President and CEO Mark Swicke and sustained by year-round giving from families, patients, staff and community events. The hospital’s 2025 Golf Outing raised $35,000, reflecting the ongoing investment residents have made in keeping care local. Sanders described that support as “humbling,” noting the hospital’s halls are lined with plaques recognizing those who have contributed.
The ventilator upgrade also aligns with a broader effort to bring more services in-house so patients can access more of their care under one roof while maintaining a high standard of care. McLaren Central Michigan’s primary service area includes Clare and Isabella counties, and the hospital is expanding access by recruiting 15 new health care providers and adding four shared physicians from the McLaren Bay region for cardiac care. McLaren also continues to emphasize quality, earning three straight “A” ratings and the best patient quality scores in the region.