Belleville hospital's relocation bid hits snag, for now

BELLEVILLE, Ill. (AP) - A Belleville hospital's quest to relocate to a nearby southwestern Illinois city has fallen short, at least for now.

Four members of the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board who were among five present for a meeting Tuesday voted to preliminarily deny St. Elizabeth's Hospital's bid to build a replacement hospital in O'Fallon. That was one vote short, though three of the board's other members were absent.

The new 144-bed, $253-million hospital would be seven miles from the exiting St. Elizabeth's location.

The hospital's president and CEO, Maryann Reese, says the hospital's administrators hope to get the approval when the entire eight-member board hears about the project.

An administrator with the review board didn't explain why three of the panel's members were absent Tuesday.