Round Lake hospital plan dropped

Advocate Health Care's merger with Libertyville-based Condell Medical Center means Advocate would drop its proposal to open a 144-bed, $251 million hospital in Round Lake.

Officials said Tuesday they expect to withdraw the application, which is on the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board's July meeting agenda.

"That integration provides a platform to address the needs of the community in the most effective and expeditious way," Advocate spokeswoman Kelly Jo Golson said.

However, rival Vista Health Systems of Waukegan is moving ahead with its plans for a 140-bed, $100 million hospital in Lindenhurst, Vista spokeswoman Valerie Culver said.

More Coverage Links Advocate, Condell confirm merger [05/20/08] Round Lake hospital plan dropped [05/21/08]

In April, The Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board issued an intent to deny both hospital proposals.

Advocate also withdrew its application Tuesday for a smaller immediate care center/freestanding emergency room at the same Round Lake campus off Route 120 and Wilson Road.

Golson said that decision was made because of a negative planning board review, legislative challenges and Advocate's limited resources as a not-for-profit health-care system.

Round Lake Mayor Bill Gentes said Advocate's change of plans are a "huge disappointment for the Round Lake area."

"We've been working on this for the last 2-and-a-half years, trying to bring a hospital to 250,000 people who have limited access to a top-class hospital," he said. "It's very unfortunate, but at the same time, it makes excellent business sense for them to do."