Media Contact: Terry Schuster, (414) 647- 5638

Franklin, WI – To meet the growing needs of the community, Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare – Franklin is proposing to build a 65,000 square foot three-story medical office building and expand its services within the existing hospital in a phased approach with an estimated cost of $49 million.

Upon approval from the City of Franklin and the Wheaton Board of directors, the medical office building will be built on the 30-acre parcel north of the hospital. When completed next summer, the physician offices currently in the hospital will move to the medical office building.

This move will free up space in the hospital for the next phase of expansion, expected to be completed in 2014. This includes:

• Adding 20 inpatient beds for a total of 52
• Relocating 2 GI labs from the 5^th floor to the 4^th floor and add 2 additional labs for a total of 4
• Building a cardiac catheterization lab on the 4^th floor and 22 pre/post procedures rooms
• Adding an additional CT scanner and MRI on campus
• Converting two GI labs on the 5^th floor to operating rooms and add a separate cardiovascular room for a total of 5 operating rooms at the Franklin Hospital.

From emergency services to interventional diagnostics, surgery, ICU, inpatient care and now full service operating rooms, a cath lab and premiere physician office space,  the Franklin campus will provide comprehensive healthcare in one convenient location close to home for area residents.

According to www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov,  patient satisfaction scores for the Franklin Hospital are higher than any other hospital in Metro Milwaukee.

“It has been our strategy to expand as the community grows, and I am grateful to our Franklin and Midwest Orthopedic Specialty Hospital staff for providing exceptional care that makes patients want to return to us again and again and recommend us to their family and friends,” said Dan Mattes, President of Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare’s Central Market, which includes the following three hospitals: Franklin, St. Francis and Midwest Orthopedic Specialty Hospital (MOSH).

MOSH is a 16-bed premiere hospital that is a leader in providing technologically advanced orthopedic procedures and quality patient outcomes with 24 board certified orthopedic surgeons on staff.  MOSH serves not just Franklin residents, but is recognized as a destination orthopedic facility in the Midwest and nationally.

About Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare – Franklin: Located at 10101 S. 27^th St. Franklin, Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare – St. Franklin has more than 500 employees and 267 physicians on staff. Services include: Emergency Department and Urgent Care; inpatient and outpatient services; six-bed ICU; day surgery; and interventional radiology.