The Board of Saint Anthony’s Health System gave final approval last week to a $67 million expansion on the campus of Saint Anthony’s Hospital, with construction to begin in the fall of 2008. With an expected completion date of 2010, the building project includes a state-of-the-art diagnostic center and emergency room renovation, as well as an additional 28-bed patient wing with all private rooms and conversion of current patient rooms to private, adding nearly 51,000 square feet to the existing Saint Anthony’s Hospital.
The diagnostic center will be home to the majority of $24 million in advanced technology and medical equipment. “Saint Anthony’s will have state-of-the-art diagnostic services, allowing area residents to receive high level health care in their own community,” said Mark Weber, President/Chief Executive Officer for Saint Anthony's Health Center. “Virtual CT technology that uses the most advanced CT imaging, along with high tech cardiovascular services will be available as we anticipate more outpatient health care needs and quicker recoveries made possible with technological advancements.
“By going completely digital with medical and information technology, physicians will have improved access to their patients’ results throughout the hospital and in their own physician offices.”
Plans for the emergency room expansion call for the construction of six observation rooms to supplement the existing 15 beds. An expanded nurse’s station for the emergency department and family waiting room will also be added. “Expanding emergency services will enable Saint Anthony’s to meet our area’s increasing emergency needs by providing quick access to emergency care while reducing wait times,” Weber said. Expansion Plan Aerial View
With the modernization of existing patient rooms to private rooms and the new 28-bed private room wing, patients and their families will have much deserved privacy during their hospital stays. “Private rooms are the industry standard in today’s market, offering a better healing environment for the patients and allowing our Mission Partners to provide a more efficient and personalized approach to patient care,” noted Weber. Saint Anthony’s Hospital will have a total of 138 private rooms when construction is completed.
Along with the building construction, new parking lots will be constructed, totaling approximately 360 surface level spaces on the northeast portion of the Saint Anthony’s Hospital campus. Site Plan Schematic
The building project helps to secure a strong, long-term future for the Health Center, one of only a handful of private, independent health systems left in the area, according to Weber, who has been president of the 229-bed, two-campus system since August, 2006. “Saint Anthony’s Health Center is just not surviving, but thriving.”
Following the completion of this phase of the project, a free-standing cancer center is scheduled for development in 2011.
Over the last year, the leadership of Saint Anthony’s has focused on recruiting and strengthening the medical staff with accelerated physician recruitment efforts, giving area residents better access to the health care system in the community. In just 15 months, nearly 30 physicians were added to the medical staff of Saint Anthony's, including primary care physicians and specialists. In addition to physician recruitment, Weber said the managers and Mission Partners have worked hard on operational issues, with a focus on patient care. “We have looked closely at our operations throughout the Health Center with a focus on the continuation of providing quality care and great service to our patients,” he adds.
Saint Anthony’s Health Center is owned by the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George, a growing order of Catholic Sisters who established Saint Anthony’s as an infirmary in 1925. “By expanding our building and our services, we are ensuring that our health care ministry is able to provide the highest quality care to all members of our community for many years to come,” said Sister M. Mikela, FSGM, Chairman of the Board for Saint Anthony's Health Center.
“As our Health Center continues its growth, we will not lose sight of our most important commitment – our patients and their families,” Sister said.
Over the last several months, the Health Center engaged architects, a construction manager, engineers and other consultants to identify options for expansion and renovation. “The first major accomplishment for this project was the completion of the Central Avenue realignment adjacent to the Saint Anthony’s campus adding more usable land for expansion,” Weber said. “We are grateful to Bill Kessler for his foresight in acquiring the property necessary to expand, and to Mayor Sandidge and the City of Alton for the relocation of Central Avenue, which paved the path for this project.”
Construction start up is pending the Illinois Department of Public Health’s approval of the facility’s certificate of need application in April. The project is being financed through the issue of tax exempt bonds, as well as philanthropic support from the community. Members of the project team include Christner, Inc., the long-standing architect for Saint Anthony's Health Center, and BSI Constructors, the construction manager for the project, along with Northstar Management as project manager. Weber said Saint Anthony’s expects extensive involvement of local contractors in the actual construction of the project.
For information, contact Diane Schuette, Director of Community Relations; 618/463-5306.