Illinois could have its first-ever micro-hospital if plans to build one in Crystal Lake are approved, according to state officials.
The corner of Three Oaks Road and Route 31 would be the location for the proposed 13-bed facility. A hearing by the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board is tentatively scheduled in June.
The project application says the micro-hospital would receive 11 beds from nearby Harvard’s hospital. Mercyhealth spokeswoman Barb Bortner says Harvard hospital operations and patient care would not be affected by the transfer.
“Over the last five years, kind of due to the movement of patient care services from hospital to outpatient facilities, the average daily census at Harvard Hospital has been four,” Bortner said. “So that leaves a considerable number of unused beds throughout the year.”
IHFSR board member Courtney Avery says the minimum number of beds that proposed hospitals in Illinois can have is 100; however, exceptions can be made with federal approval. Avery says some studies have suggested that smaller hospitals made for better patient care.
Bortner says the project also could benefit the surrounding economy by creating more jobs – and not just limited to the healthcare field.
“There would also be many, many…probably hundreds of jobs in construction and trade once our proposal is approved,” Bortner said. “So that is something else the economy could look forward to.”
Bortner says the proposed micro-hospital can also help residents in the area with Medicaid have better access to healthcare without having to worry about transportation.
The proposal says building the micro-hospital would cost about $82 million and an additional $23 million to build a proposed nearby clinic. If approved, it would be completed by 2020.
A public meeting regarding the proposed projects is scheduled for Feb. 21 in Crystal Lake.