If you live in Northwest Indiana, you’ve probably driven past that massive glass-and-brick building on Lake Park Avenue more times than you can count. It’s a landmark in Hobart. Honestly, though, most people just call it "St. Mary’s," even though its formal name is St. Mary Medical Center.
There's a lot of confusion lately because the signs have changed. You might have noticed a new name popping up: Powers Health.
Basically, the hospital didn't get bought out by some giant faceless corporation from out of state. It’s still the same local institution it's been for decades, but it rebranded in early 2024 to unify with its sister hospitals in Munster and East Chicago. It’s an evolution, not a takeover.
What Really Happened With the Name Change?
Healthcare names are kinda like phone plans—they change every few years and it’s hard to keep track. For a long time, St. Mary’s was the crown jewel of the Community Healthcare System.
In February 2024, the system decided to change its name to Powers Health. This was a tribute to Donald S. Powers, a guy who basically spearheaded modern healthcare in the region because his own wife had to travel hundreds of miles for cancer treatment. He wanted something better for the "Region."
So, if you see "Powers Health St. Mary Medical Center" on your bill or a billboard, don't panic. You're still going to the same place.
The Hospital Layout: Finding Your Way Around
Hobart isn't exactly a metropolis, but this hospital is surprisingly big. It has 195 beds and a massive six-story patient tower.
Parking is a frequent headache. If you're there for a quick lab test, hit the East Entrance off Lake Park. If you’re there for surgery, you want the Southwest side. And whatever you do, don't try to park in the Emergency Department lot unless you're actually having an emergency; security is pretty tight about that.
Inside, it feels less like a sterile "hospital" and more like a modern office building. They’ve spent a ton of money on private rooms. Nobody wants to share a curtain with a stranger while they're recovering from surgery, and St. Mary’s was one of the first in the area to really lean into the "all-private" model.
What Most People Get Wrong About the ER
"Go to St. Mary’s, it’s faster."
I hear that a lot. While it’s true that Hobart's ER can sometimes be less chaotic than the ones closer to Chicago or Gary, "fast" is relative.
They are a Primary Stroke Center. This is huge. If someone is having a stroke, they have the tech—like the TrueBeam system and advanced neuro-interventional suites—to deal with it right then and there.
But if you show up with a broken finger while three ambulances just pulled in with heart attacks, you’re going to wait. That’s just how triage works.
Specialty Wins
- Joint Replacements: They have this thing called the "Joint Academy." It's basically a boot camp for people getting knees or hips replaced. You go in, you get your Mako robotic-arm assisted surgery, and they have you up and walking remarkably fast.
- Cancer Care: They’ve got a partnership with the Community Cancer Research Foundation. They use the TrueBeam system, which is a fancy way of saying they can target tumors with radiation while leaving the healthy tissue alone.
- The Birthing Center: It’s arguably one of the "nicest" parts of the hospital. They allow one person to stay 24/7, and the rooms look more like a hotel than a clinic.
Ratings and Reality: Is it Actually Good?
We should talk about the numbers because Google Discover loves a good "best of" list, but patients just want to know if they'll be taken care of.
In 2024, St. Mary Medical Center snagged the Outstanding Patient Experience Award from Healthgrades.
Their sepsis care scores are actually way above the national average—around 82% compared to the 64% national baseline. That’s a boring stat until you realize sepsis is one of the biggest killers in hospitals. Knowing they catch it early is a big deal.
However, no hospital is perfect.
If you look at Medicare’s "Care Compare" data, their patient communication scores are usually high, but like any big facility, they’ve had "worse than expected" ratings in specific niche categories like certain inpatient mortality rates for complex heart procedures in years past.
Nuance matters. A hospital might be the best in the state for a knee replacement but just "okay" for a complex gastrointestinal issue. Always check the specific department.
Actionable Tips for Patients
If you have an appointment or a procedure coming up at St. Mary’s in Hobart, here is the "insider" way to handle it:
- Use the MyChart App: Since they are part of Powers Health, everything is integrated. Don't wait for a phone call about your blood work; it’ll usually pop up in the app before the doctor even sees it.
- The 8 PM Rule: After 8 PM, the main doors lock. You have to go through the ER security entrance. If you're visiting a family member, don't get caught outside at 8:05 PM or you'll be walking halfway around the building.
- Financial Navigators: Healthcare is expensive. St. Mary’s has actual humans—financial counselors—on-site who help you figure out if you qualify for assistance or payment plans. Most people don't ask until they get the bill. Ask before the procedure.
- Second Opinions: Because they are part of a larger network, you can easily get a second opinion from a specialist at Community Hospital in Munster without having to transfer all your paper records. It’s all in the same computer system.
The Bottom Line
St. Mary Medical Center isn't just a local "community" hospital anymore; it's a high-tech hub for the Hobart-Portage-Valparaiso corridor. While the name change to Powers Health might be confusing for the old-timers, the actual care hasn't skipped a beat.
Whether you're there for the Joint Academy or the Family Birthing Center, the focus remains on keeping people in the Region from having to drive to Indy or Chicago for specialty care.
For the most current wait times or to find a specific doctor, your best bet is to use the Powers Health Physician Referral line at 866-836-3477. They can usually tell you which specialists are taking new patients in Hobart versus their satellite offices in Valpo or Crown Point.