Munson Healthcare Opens Elk Rapids Specialty Clinic Offering Neurology, Neurosurgery, Rheumatology

Munson Healthcare began seeing patients at an outpatient specialty care clinic in Elk Rapids on Monday, February 16, 2026, opening neurology, neurosurgery and rheumatology consultations at 115 Bridge Street to reduce the 40 to 50 mile trips many Antrim County residents have made to Traverse City or Charlevoix. Munson framed the clinic as part of a regional care transformation plan aimed at improving access and convenience for rural northern Michigan patients.

The Elk Rapids site lists four physicians accepting patients: neurologists Nick Zendler, DO, and Anne Pawlak, DO; neurosurgeon John Campbell, MD; and rheumatologist Nicole Tramontini-Gunn, MD. Munson Healthcare says laboratory services are available Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and 9and10news described the labs as walk-in laboratory services. Patients can speak to their primary care provider about a referral or call the specialty lines directly: neurology 231-392-0430, neurosurgery 231-392-0640, rheumatology 231-935-2525.

Munson emphasizes that Munson Medical Center in Traverse City will remain the hub for most treatments, surgical procedures, and diagnostics in neurology and rheumatology, with the Elk Rapids clinic serving as a local outreach and access point. Coverage in Becker’s Healthcare used the term ASC in a headline, but Munson’s announcement identifies the site as an Outpatient Specialty Care Clinic and does not list surgical capacity at Elk Rapids; Munson staff say most specialty procedures will continue to occur at the Traverse City hub.

The new clinic addresses capacity and access challenges Munson reported in recent years. 9and10news noted prior neurology appointment wait times reached up to nine months and that travel to see specialists often led to missed work, added child care costs and delayed treatments. Munson Chief Operating Officer Laura Glenn framed transportation as a central barrier to care, saying, "Transportation is one of the greatest barriers in rural healthcare." Glenn also linked the Elk Rapids opening to equity goals, saying, "I talk a lot about access to services, as a way to address health equity," and describing access improvements as a "cornerstone to this regional care transformation plan."

Munson framed Elk Rapids as a recruiting and expansion foothold for Northern Michigan specialty care. "We’re excited to bring this to our neighbors in Elk Rapids and continue to recruit specialists to Northern Michigan with a goal of expanding access to these types of services in our outlying communities," Glenn said. The system advises patients seeking appointments to request referrals from their primary care provider or to contact the specialty phone lines listed by Munson for scheduling and questions.