Lee’s Summit hospital expanding ‘outwards and upwards’ — and adding these services

Janice Phelan
·3 min read

Saint Luke’s East Hospital is in the midst of a major renovation and expansion project that will increase the medical center’s square footage by almost 10%, while renovating around 8% of the current space at the Lee’s Summit campus.

“The addition will add capacity to existing programs such as general surgery, oncology, orthopedics and OB-GYN, as well as allow us to bring new programs to the campus, such as vascular and thoracic services,” said CEO of Saint Luke’s South and East Region Bobby Olm-Shipman.

The expansion at the Lee’s Summit healthcare facility, totaling $52 million, will help the hospital meet the community’s growing demands and better serve its diverse populations, he said.

“The Lee’s Summit and surrounding communities continue to grow at a rapid pace, as do the expectations for high-quality, accessible care, close to home,” Olm-Shipman said.

Saint Luke’s East hosted a groundbreaking ceremony in April for the project, which is scheduled for completion in 2025. The expansion will add three new operating rooms, as well as ear, nose and throat services. The new space will also allow the Women’s Health East Clinic to move from its current Lee’s Summit location off-campus to the Saint Luke’s East Hospital campus.

In addition, the project will provide updated clinical and office space for Rockhill Orthopaedic Specialists and scale up Saint Luke’s East general surgery, pulmonary and plastic surgery options.

Although the expansion and renovations are slated for completion next year, Olm-Shipman said some areas will be finished by this fall and ready for patients.

“The project will be completed and turned over by floor and area in phases starting in September 2024,” he said. “Within floors 1 and 2, the new additional spaces will be completed prior to the renovation spaces, so that the tenant can occupy the new spaces while the existing spaces are renovated.”

A groundbreaking for St. Luke’s East drew a crowd in April. Although the expansion and renovations are slated for completion next year, some areas will be finished by this fall and ready for patients. Courtesy photo
A groundbreaking for St. Luke’s East drew a crowd in April. Although the expansion and renovations are slated for completion next year, some areas will be finished by this fall and ready for patients. Courtesy photo

All of the work is focused on the northeast corner of the Saint Luke’s East Hospital campus within the Outpatient Surgery Center building, Olm-Shipman said, with the existing two-story building expanding to the east. This building will also expand vertically with the addition of a third floor for Saint Luke’s Physician Group Clinics. To better handle the increasing number of patients and visitors, a new parking lot is planned along the north edge of the Saint Luke’s property.

Renovation of the existing spaces is in the same building on the first and second floors currently occupied by the Outpatient Surgery Center and Rockhill Orthopaedics, he said.

“So, we will expand outwards and upwards, we will slide the Outpatient Surgery Center and Rockhill Orthopaedics on first and second floors, respectively, into the newly built spaces and then renovate their existing spaces,” Olm-Shipman said.

Saint Luke’s East opened in Lee’s Summit in 2006 and has expanded each year since then. The current facility, before this expansion, totals approximately 652,000 square feet. Total square footage will increase to more than 714,500 by the time the project is completed in 2025.

The Lee’s Summit hospital is part of the Saint Luke’s Health System, which includes 14 hospitals and healthcare campuses within the Kansas City region.