New 13-Bed Hospital Approved for Crystal Lake

CRYSTAL LAKE, IL - The third time was a charm for Mercyhealth after the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board on Tuesday granted its request to build a 13-bed small hospital in Crystal Lake, according to the Northwest Herald. The Rockford-based healthcare system argued successfully for the $79.5 million hospital, which will be located at Three Oaks Road and Route 31, with hopes of opening by November 2020.

The approval came despite a 50-page staff report detailing several deficiencies in opening the facility, including an "unnecessary duplication of services," according to the Northwest Herald.

"We thank the Illinois Health Facilities and Planning Review Board and staff for their thoughtful process and consideration of our applications,” said Javon R. Bea, president and CEO of Mercyhealth. "We are excited to begin with site development and facility design, and anticipate opening in late 2020.”

The proposed hospital will span 111,346 square feet and will include a comprehensive emergency room, two operating rooms, 11 medical-surgical beds, two intensive care beds, a laboratory, full-service radiology imaging and a pharmacy, according to the Northwest Herald. Mercyhealth will also build an $18.8 million, 39,222-square-foot office building that will be connected to the hospital and will have 42 exam rooms.

“The residents of Crystal Lake have been asking us for a lot of years that they would like to have an emergency room in Crystal Lake that they can go to when they (have) an emergency,” said Javon Bea, president and CEO of Mercy Health System. “This is going to be a big-time, comprehensive emergency department for the city of Crystal Lake.”

The approval for the new Crystal Lake hospital came a day before Centegra on Thursday announced it would shut down most of its inpatient services. The move will mean patients will no longer be admitted to the 108-bed hospital and only basic emergency services -- and not comprehensive like was offered before and will be offered in Crystal Lake -- will be available.

The Woodstock hospital will also shut its ICU unit and doctors will no longer perform surgeries, the Northwest Herald reports late Wednesday.

• Centegra Will Shut Down Most Inpatient Services At Woodstock Hospital
  

Centegra will instead treat its patients at its other nearby hospitals, including its 179-bed McHenry hopsital and its newly-opened 128-bed Huntley hospital.

More via the Northwest Herald

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