Frontenac, Crawford County officials laud new hospital location

John Hacker, The Joplin Globe, Mo.
·2 min read

Jul. 10—FRONTENAC, Kan. — Officials in Frontenac and Crawford County said they were excited Wednesday as Freeman Health System CEO Paula Baker announced the site for a new hospital in Southeast Kansas along U.S. Highway 69 in Frontenac, between Pittsburg and Arma.

The $168 million investment will mean 500 to 1,000 jobs.

"This is such a huge event for Frontenac and not just Frontenac, the whole area," Commissioner Tom Moody said. "It's going to be sort of centrally located between Pittsburg, Arma and Girard. It's going to be a real benefit for our county. We're thankful to Paula Baker for having the foresight to see this and we're really grateful, and it's a big day for our county."

Frontenac City Administrator John Zafuta said Frontenac will reap benefits from the project.

"Bringing this to our community when so many hospitals and clinics are closing is going to be tremendous for Southeast Kansas," Zafuta said. "This region has traditionally been among the poorest in Kansas, and it'll be a huge boost for us. I think this is a tremendous opportunity. We're so happy with Freeman's reputation already in Southeast Kansas. They're very well established and well known, and I'm excited to work with them."

Frontenac Mayor Steve Morrison said locating this hospital in Frontenac means all of the medical facilities around Pittsburg are not in one area and vulnerable if a tornado like the one that hit Joplin in 2011 was to hit the Pittsburg region.

Pittsburg's Via Christi Hospital, which will soon change hands and be run by Mercy Hospital Joplin, is located on the south side of Pittsburg. The Joplin tornado was rated at an EF5 and destroyed St. John's Medical Center. Freeman Hospital West was located just blocks south of the tornado's path.

Baker said she is glad to get this project started before she retires early next year.

"I will stay involved in the development of this hospital and Fort Scott even after my retirement," Baker said. "I am, of course, a Southeast Kansas girl, born and raised in Pittsburg, and Frontenac was always a place that we visited frequently. We had friends here, activities here, and really all of Southeast Kansas is very near and dear to my heart. So to have the opportunity to bring a hospital to the heart of Southeast Kansas, I cannot imagine a better finale for my career."