Kane County may oppose Centegra expansion

Kane County area hospitals opposed to construction of a 360,000-square-foot hospital in Huntley may add a little political muscle to their efforts to defeat the plan as soon as next week.

Centegra Health System awaits a vote by the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board on the $233 million hospital. That vote is expected to come May 10. The board is accepting local input on the 128-bed hospital until then. Sherman Hospital in Elgin, St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington and Wisconsin-based Mercy Health System (which runs some suburban clinics) all stand against the hospital. Officials from Provena St. Joseph Hospital in Elgin have also described the Centegra plan as "fiscally questionable."

Kane County Board members revealed Wednesday they'll consider a resolution next week opposing the hospital. Kane County Board President Karen McConnaughay said Sherman Hospital officials recently approached the county to make a statement against Centegra's expansion into Huntley.

“They see it as a new hospital that really cuts into the service areas of our existing hospitals and threatens their viability,” McConnaughay said.

The hospital would be connected to Centegra's existing immediate care facility on Haligus Road in Huntley, which is in McHenry County.

The full Kane County Board will see the resolution, and debate the merits of the hospital, for the first time when it meets Tuesday. Centegra officials will meet with McConnaughay before then. They are also expected to make a case for the hospital at the county board meeting.

Centegra officials did not immediately provide comment Wednesday afternoon.