​​Proudly Serving 9 Counties in Southwest Michigan

​The Region 5 Healthcare Coalition (R5HCC) is committed to supporting regional health resources, including hospitals, a variety of healthcare organizations, and emergency medical service providers, to prepare for and respond to a variety of disasters and mass casualty incidents in lower southwest Michigan. This commitment involves the crucial collaboration and coordination of healthcare resources to meet regional needs. The Coalition actively works to develop and implement comprehensive regional response plans, ensuring a unified and effective "all-hazards" medical response strategy across the area. 

The R5HCC encompasses the nine lower southwest Michigan counties of Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, and Van Buren serving a total population of roughly 967,122 according to the 2020 census. This diverse region is geographically significant, boarding Lake Michigan to the west and served by two major highways (I-94 & US-131, as well as freight and passenger railways. The area also hosts critical infrastructure, including two nuclear power plants. The R5HCC coordinates a wide array of reginal health resources and partners across this coverage area: 19 acute care hospitals (including Level 2 Trauma Center, a Burn Center, and a Pediatric Hospital), 44 skilled nursing facilities, dialysis, home health, and other health agencies, and a robust emergency response system comprising 17 transporting EMS agencies and 69 first responder agencies. The R5HCC's operational structure is supported by 9 Medical Control Authorities, 11 Emergency Management Agencies, and 7 Public Health Agencies, alongside a Veterans Affairs Administration facility, one state psychiatric facility, and key behavioral health and regional trauma networks, all while engaging with the 8 Colleges and Universities and 3 federally recognized tribes located within the region.