ST. JOSEPH — Spectrum Health Lakeland and Mary Free Bed Orthotics and Prosthetics have joined together to create Mary Free Bed Orthotics and Prosthetics at Spectrum Health Lakeland, a joint venture providing advanced orthotic and prosthetic care for patients in southwest Michigan and northern Indiana.

Located at 2500 Niles Road, Suite 9 in St. Joseph, the practice offers certified orthotics professionals and prosthetists from Mary Free Bed. The organization helps fit patients with adaptive equipment such as cranial reshaping helmets, artificial limbs, and external braces designed to enhance and improve their functional ability after a serious injury, illness or other debilitating condition.

“Lakeland and Mary Free Bed have worked together for years to meet the needs of our rehabilitation patients and we are pleased to formalize this new relationship,” said Scott Nolte, director of Lakeland Rehabilitation. “This partnership means patients can find the same high-quality, compassionate rehabilitation care they have come to expect from Lakeland, with the addition of specialized orthotics and prosthetics care available close to home.”

Ron Mishler, vice president of Mary Free Bed Orthotics and Prosthetics, echoed this sentiment.

“From the time work began on this joint venture, we recognized Lakeland employees share our passion for serving patients,” Mishler said. “We’re excited to grow our relationship and provide outstanding orthotic and prosthetic services to southwest Michigan.”

In 2015, Lakeland joined the Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Network, an innovative alliance of hospitals and providers throughout Michigan. The network was established in 2011 to extend Mary Free Bed’s expertise as one of the leading rehabilitation hospitals in the Midwest beyond its current hospitals to other settings, creating a seamlessly integrated system of rehabilitative care for patients.

Ray Cruse, vice president of Business Strategy and Hospitality Services at Spectrum Health Lakeland, said he is eager to better serve patients with the joint effort.

“The healthcare industry is centered on collaboration and partnerships and we are looking forward to this new venture with Mary Free Bed as it will help us better serve our rehabilitation patients locally,” Cruse said.

Spectrum Health Lakeland is a nonprofit, community-owned health system serving southwest Michigan and northern Indiana. The entity offers a full continuum of care and wellness services including three hospitals, an outpatient surgery center, a cancer center, and 41 physician practices.

For the second time, Spectrum Health Lakeland was recognized as a 15 Top Health System by IBM Watson Health. Lakeland Medical Center in St. Joseph and Lakeland Hospital Niles were also named to the 100 Top Hospitals list in 2014 and 2019.

Mary Free Bed Orthotics and Prosthetics is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital. Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital is a not-for-profit, nationally accredited, rehabilitation hospital in Grand Rapids.