In this case, Illinois regulators have approved plans to build a new hospital in O’Fallon, capping a nearly eight-month battle between two Belleville hospitals.
Modern Healthcare reports that “Memorial Hospital has been a staunch opponent of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital’s proposal to build a 144-bed hospital in O’Fallon to replace its aging 303-bed hospital in Belleville. St. Elizabeth’s, a part of Springfield, Ill.-based Hospital Sisters Health System, said it needs a more modern facility with space for expanded ambulatory care.
“Memorial, however, has argued that a new hospital in O’Fallon would constitute an unnecessary and unfair duplication of services when built after its soon-to-be-complete Memorial East Hospital in the nearby village of Shiloh. Plus, the hospital says the move would limit access for the high-acuity, vulnerable population that St. Elizabeth’s currently serves in downtown Belleville.”
