Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital Supports State Hospital Board Decision

Although the two proposed hospital plans before the State Health Facilities and Services Review Board today were turned down, this is not necessarily the end of the matter. Both proposals could be before the State Board later this year.

Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital welcomed the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board’s votes today to give an “intent to deny” to both Certificate of Need (CON) applications from Centegra Health System and Mercy Health System to build additional hospitals in McHenry County.

“We thank the Review Board for its intention to deny these projects, and believe this supports our contention that no new hospitals are needed in McHenry County,” said Karen Lambert, president of Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital.

Centegra asked for approval to build a $233 million, 128-bed hospital in Huntley on its campus at Reed and Haligus roads. Mercy’s application was for a $200 million, 128-bed hospital in Crystal Lake on property it owns at Route 31 and Three Oaks Road. The Review Board’s vote took place at its meeting in Joliet.

“We know the board will consider these projects again, and are confident that members will see that residents of northern Kane County and southeastern McHenry County are already well served by Good Shepherd and several other regional medical centers,” Lambert said.

These projects could be back on the agenda as early as August 16, 2011, or they could be added to the agenda for the meeting October 4, 2011.