Condell Hospital sets sights on Level I
Condell Medical Center plans to begin expanding its emergency department today, setting the stage for the hospital to become a Level I trauma center.
But Condell officials warned if the state approves plans by competing health-care providers to build another hospital in Lake County, Condell might not move forward with securing Level I status.
"Our ability to move forward will be stopped by an additional hospital in Lake County," Condell CEO Dennis Millirons said. "To have the convenience of a closer hospital would mean giving up a level of service Lake County residents deserve."
Condell will begin construction today on the emergency department expansion. The $23.5 million project will triple the size of the hospital's existing department.
Construction is expected to be completed by 2009.
Condell also is building a 90-bed, 90-room patient tower. Both projects will make it possible for Condell to obtain Level I status.
The key difference between a Level I and Level II trauma designation is Level I has a surgeon available 24 hours a day, allowing the hospital to treat all trauma patients in Lake County.
With Level II, which is Condell's current status, surgeons have 30 minutes to get to the hospital.
Severely injured patients now have to be taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge or Froedtert Memorial Hospital near Milwaukee.
Dr. William E. Maloney, emergency department medical director, said there needs to be a high volume of trauma patients for the staff to be proficient. That would not happen if there was a second hospital in the county.
"If there are hospitals all over the county, but no hospital that is providing Level I trauma, you aren't serving the greater good of the entire population," Maloney said.
On Aug. 28 and 29, the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board will hear from Vista Heath and Advocate Heath Care, which are proposing to build hospitals in Lindenhurst and Round Lake, respectively.
If one of the plans is approved, it would be the first new hospital built in Lake County in 30 years.
Vista wants to build a $100 million, 140-bed facility, while Advocate is proposing a $239 million, 144-bed hospital.
Because approval is based on the area's need, it is unlikely both projects -- if either -- will be approved.
Jodi Levine, vice president for business development at Condell, said neither proposal sufficiently addresses the county's health-care needs.
Levine said the plans camouflage what is really needed, which is more emergency care and specialty services, rather than another hospital.
"It would make it very difficult for Condell or any hospital in the area to receive Level I trauma center designation or elevate other medical specialties such as cancer care and advanced pediatrics," Levine said.
Advocate also has filed an application with the state to build a freestanding emergency room in Round Lake.
That proposal is several months from being heard by the planning board.