Chelsea Bossert/Daily Mining Gazette Aspirus healthcare workers, city officials and local leaders gather outside of the newly expanded Aspirus Houghton clinic to cut the ribbon and celebrate its new facilities on Thursday. 

HOUGHTON — Aspirus Health hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for its expanded Houghton clinic on Thursday. Community leaders, healthcare professionals and local politicians took part in the celebration.

Several speakers congratulated Aspirus Houghton on their new expansion, which includes a walk-in clinic, expanded treatment access and a drive-thru pharmacy.

Representatives from Aspirus Health and Aspirus Keweenaw Hospital touted the healthcare provider’s commitment to providing care to rural communities.

Michigan State Representative Gregory Markkanen (R-Hancock), as well as officials from US Representative Jack Bergman (R-Watersmeet) and Michigan State Senator Ed McBroom’s (R-Waucedah Township) offices, spoke at the celebration before the ribbon was cut.

Houghton City Manager Eric Waara, took the podium to extend his gratitude to Aspirus for making healthcare more accessible in the Keweenaw through the new walk-in clinic and drive-thru pharmacy.

“[Aspirus] did their research on this … overall the access to more and better healthcare is really what people are looking for in this community and any community,” he said. “They’ve looked at the community’s needs, the trends in healthcare with the drive-thru pharmacy and the expanded suite of services that they have — they’re kind of filling that need in the community.”

Aspirus Keweenaw Hospital Chief Administrative Officer, Melanee Tiura, said Aspirus has faced certain challenges bringing accessible healthcare to Houghton, but is glad the expansion is finally complete. “Our patient access for specialty care has been a real challenge over the years,” she said. “We added 14 exam rooms and two procedure rooms. That allows us to bring in more specialists into the area and reducing our patients’ need to travel.”

Tiura added the weather was the deciding factor for constructing a drive-thru pharmacy.

Aspirus Health Vice President of Operations, Mark Randell, was a part of the celebrations and spoke on how Aspirus’s vision is to make healthcare a consistent option in rural areas such as the Keweenaw.

“Aspirus is dedicated to healthcare in rural communities. We specialize in providing healthcare in rural communities across Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota,” he said. That’s what we do, that’s our expertise.”

Aspirus is not done making an impact in the Keweenaw. According to Aspirus Health Michigan Communications and Engagement Lead, Jenn Jenich-Laplander, the expansion of the Keweenaw Hospital continues despite the weather. The hospital project is on schedule and is expected to be completed in early 2028.

Waara joked during his speech he expects the clinic to expand in another ten years. While he said it was in good jest, Waara remains optimistic Aspirus will keep investing in Houghton and in the Keweenaw in the future.

“Hopefully this facility will keep growing, expand that list of services to everyone in the area, moreover to the people in the Houghton area,” Waara said. “I was here when they opened the original facility here about 11 years ago or so. Having that asset here available for us is great, seeing them expand it only makes it better.”