Kenosha hospital seeks to attract Lake Co. patients
Aurora Medical Center Kenosha officials announced they will apply for a level-2 trauma designation, with the goal of attracting patients from northern Lake County.
Chris Olson, chief administrative officer for the Kenosha-area hospital, said they are targeting the 35,000 to 40,000 residents in northern Lake County who are now more than 25 minutes away from their closest level-2 trauma center.
For most residents living along Route 173 in Antioch, Winthrop Harbor and Lindenhurst, Olson said, Vista Medical Center in Waukegan, Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, and Centegra Hospital-McHenry, are their nearest options.
Olson said AMC Kenosha is 11 minutes from routes 173 and 41 in unincorporated Lake County, and 20 minutes from Grass Lake Road and Route 45 near Antioch. In comparison, Vista East is 23 minutes from routes 173 and 41, and 27 minutes from Grass Lake and Route 45.
Barbara J. Martin, president and CEO of Vista Health
System, would not comment except to say "Vista Health System will review Aurora Health Care's formal request for support when it is submitted to the Region 10 Trauma and Advisory Council."
Overall, some drive times for emergency care could be reduced by up to 15 minutes in some locations if AMC Kenosha receives the level-2 designation, Olson said.
"We are already serving about 6,000 residents from Antioch and Winthrop Harbor in northern Lake County," she said. "By becoming a part of their Emergency Medical System, we are giving patients a closer alternative that reduces crucial drive times."
Trauma centers vary in their capabilities and are identified by level designations, with level-1 being the highest and level-3 in Illinois and level-4 in Wisconsin the lowest.
Lower level trauma centers may only provide initial care and stabilization of a traumatic injury, before moving that patient a higher level trauma hospital staffed with surgeons and doctors trained in specialties and with better medical diagnostic equipment, officials said.
Olson said AMC Kenosha now has a Wisconsin level-3 designation, which is the same as a level-2 in Illinois.
She said Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville is a level-1 trauma center; Vista East in Waukegan and Centegra Hospital-McHenry are level-2.
To obtain the level-2 status in Illinois and to be a stop for ambulances from Antioch and Winthrop Harbor, Olson said, AMC Kenosha must apply and join the North Lake County Emergency Medical Services system, currently operated by Vista Health System.
The Region 10 EMS/Trauma Advisory Committee will make a recommendation to the state, at which point AMC Kenosha must fulfill all Illinois Department of Public Health criteria for a level 2-designation.
Following an inspection by the state, the trauma certification should be completed and AMC Kenosha could accept patients from northern Illinois towns.
The designation comes on the heels of Illinois health officials unanimously approving a proposal to construct a free-standing emergency room facility in Lindenhurst for Vista Health Systems.
Plans are to complete the $3.9 million level-3 trauma facility by the end of the year at Vista's existing outpatient medical treatment campus on Red Oak Lane.
The center will be able to provide 24-hour emergency services seven days a week with access to CT, MRI, X-ray and ultrasound scans.