Architect’s rendering of the new St. Elizabeth’s Hospital to be built in O’Fallon. (Labeled for reuse. Published by BND 11 August 2014)

Joined by Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS) colleagues, Hospital Sisters, hospital board members, government officials, civic leaders, clergy and other project supporters, HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital recently held a ceremonial groundbreaking and blessing ceremony on the future site of its replacement hospital and ambulatory care center.

St. Elizabeth’s received unanimous approval from the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board (HFSRB) in April to begin construction on a new $300 million medical campus along Interstate 64 and Green Mount Road in St. Clair County. The Certificate of Need approved by the HFSRB allows St. Elizabeth’s to replace its current hospital, which was built in the 1950s, with a modern hospital that will be built on a 114-acre campus with an adjoining ambulatory care center.

“After years of planning, I am excited that we can now begin construction on a project designed to deliver advanced care to the entire Metro East. I thank our Hospital Sisters and System leadership, our dedicated colleagues at St. Elizabeth’s, and all of our supporters for believing in the project and supporting our mission to reveal and embody Christ’s healing love for all people through our high quality Franciscan health care ministry,” said Dr. Maryann Reese, President and Chief Executive Officer of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. “

St. Elizabeth’s replacement hospital will be centrally located for the southwestern Illinois region that it serves. It will also be closer to Scott AFB and the community hospitals that refer patients to St. Elizabeth’s, such as HSHS affiliate hospitals St. Joseph’s in Highland and St. Joseph’s in Breese, as well as other surrounding community hospitals.

The new St. Elizabeth’s is designed for the future of health care delivery, which is trending toward outpatient care. The facility will include 144 private patient rooms, an emergency department, state-of-the art operating rooms, modern birthing suites, an advanced intensive care unit, and inpatient rehabilitation. It will offer a wide array of 21 century health care services. The adjacent ambulatory care center will offer various outpatient services such as lab, imaging and therapy, and include medical office space for more than 100 physicians. The state-of-the art facility is designed to attract a wide array of physician specialists to the Metro East.

“Approximately 15,000 Metro East patients are admitted to hospitals outside of Illinois each year,” Reese said. “This new medical campus will provide area residents with regional access to a state-of-the art medical facility, boost the local economy, and enhance the quality of life for Southwestern Illinois.”

The hospital will continue to provide a range of outpatient services and maintain numerous support functions at its Belleville campus including an urgent care clinic, radiology and laboratory services, primary and specialty care physicians’ offices, and physical and occupational therapy services. Additionally, many administrative services and departments will stay in Belleville.

Construction on the medical campus is expected to be complete in the fall of 2017