Groundbreaking set for Lindenhurst ER

The first step of bringing a new emergency room to Lindenhurst will be taken later this month when officials from Vista Health Systems break ground on their proposed $4 million emergency center, officials announced Tuesday.

The groundbreaking of the much-anticipated Lindenhurst Freestanding Emergency Center is set for 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 21, at 1050 Red Oak Lane, at the corner of Grand Avenue and North Deep Lake Road, officials said.

When completed, the emergency center is expected to provide improved access to urgent care for residents of North Central and Northwestern Lake County, Vista officials said.

"Having an emergency center close to home is important," Vista President and CEO Barbara Martin said. "We're thrilled to have the opportunity to serve more of our Lake County residents with the addition of this new Freestanding Emergency Center in Lindenhurst."

The seven-station, 4,235-square-foot expansion to Vista's existing outpatient medical treatment campus in Lindenhurst is expected to be completed by the end of the year, and cost about $3.9 million, officials said.

The center will provide 24-hour emergency services seven days a week with access to CT, MRI, X-ray and ultrasound scans.

The existing campus already includes a full-service ambulatory surgical treatment center and a FAA-approved heliport for emergency transfers.

Waukegan-based Vista, whose previous bid to build a hospital in Lindenhurst was denied by the state, applied for permission to build the free-standing emergency center in 2007.

The groundbreaking comes after Aurora Medical Center Kenosha officials announced they intend to meet requirements for attracting patients from Northern Lake County.

Aurora Medical Center Kenosha will seek a Level 2 trauma status, while the Lindenhurst emergency center is a Level 3 trauma facility. Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville is a Level 1 facility in Lake County.