Janesville, Wis.-based Mercy Health System filed a certificate of need application to build a 128-bed hospital in Crystal Lake, Ill., while Crystal Lake-based Centegra Health System applied to build a 128-bed facility in Huntley, Ill.
The report filed by Sherman Hospital in Elgin, St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates and Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington suggests that if either proposed hospital are built, area hospitals could lose hundreds of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in income, according to the news report.
Centegra’s Huntley hospital, for instance, would put 710 FTE jobs at risk and slash six hospitals’ net income by $116 million a year. Similarly, Mercy’s Crystal Lake hospital could lead to 865 job losses and $144 million lost in income. The report did not consider the potential impact to area hospitals, other than these three, if the Illinois review board approved construction of both hospitals.
The Illinois hospitals say both of the proposed hospitals would take away key “safety net” services to the underserved, particularly in obstetrics. Centegra officials responded, saying population growth in McHenry County calls for another hospital and the new hospital would lead to more than 800 temporary construction jobs and more than 1,000 new hospital jobs.
The Illinois review board will meet to decide on the CON request on June 28.
Read the news report about Mercy Health and Centegra Health’s CON requests in Illinois.
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