Mercy Health System Proposes Microhospital for Crystal Lake

Mercy Health System is petitioning the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board for approval to build a microhospital at the corner of Three Oaks Road and Route 31 in Crystal Lake.

The facility would include a 13-bed microhspital with private inpatient and intensive care beds, two operating rooms, and ancillary services. The microhospital would include an emergency room that would be open around the clock and meant to offer access for immediate emergency care “to those who have limited access to transportation, especially the Medicaid, charity care and elderly patients,” according to MercyHealth officials. Critical patients would be stabilized and transferred to a higher level of care at Centegra and Advocate hospitals.

Mercyhealth is asking the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board to approve the redistribution of 13 licensed inpatient beds from their hospital in Harvard in order to build the new facility in Crystal Lake.

Mercyhealth officials say Harvard Hospital currently has 18 licensed acute care beds and over the last five years, due to the movement of patient care services from the hospital to outpatient facilities, the average daily inpatient census has been four, leaving a considerable number of unused beds throughout the year.

“The fact is, we are simply asking the Illinois Health Facilities and Review Board to redistribute beds that are not being used from our Harvard Hospital to the proposed hospital in Crystal Lake,” Javon R. Bea, President and CEO of Mercyhealth, said. “Harvard Hospital is one of our legacy facilities and we promise to continue our longstanding commitment to the Harvard community, operating five inpatient and intensive care beds; medical, surgical and intensive care unit services. We will continue to operate in the same fashion we currently have in place with advanced technology, monitoring and ICU trained nurses at all times.

The new microhospital would bring 150 permanent health care jobs, including physician providers, nursing, dietary, housekeeping and professional support services.

Mercyhealth is required to apply for a Certificate of Need to the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board. If the review board OKs the proposal, Mercyhealth anticipates opening in 2020.

The Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board has denied proposals by Mercy Health System in the past. In 2011 and 2012, the review board voted down Mercy's proposal to build a $115 million, 60-bed hospital in Crystal Lake, according to the Northwest Herald.