Adventist Health System Midwest Region (AHSMR) has announced plans to expand its whole-person, health-care ministry by building a hospital in Bolingbrook, a fast-growing suburban area about 25 miles southwest of Chicago.

In 1977, Adventist Health System realized the need for health-care services to serve the growing population around Bolingbrook; hence, the freestanding Bolingbrook Medical Center was developed. The proposed hospital is an expansion of AHS medical services, which have been provided to this area for more than two decades and will continue well into the future.

“The pastoral care department is extremely excited about the opportunity to expand our ministries to more of the community in Bolingbrook and the surrounding areas,” noted Vicky Syren, chaplain. “A beautiful new chapel will be at the center of the new hospital. As with all the hospitals in the Midwest Region, chaplains have been, and will continue to be available to our patients and their families as well as the staff—24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We also look forward to new outreach opportunities and becoming more involved with local churches and pastors in our continuing ministry in the area.”

Ernie Sadau, Adventist Health System Midwest Region CEO/president, said the $130 million full-service hospital will serve the area within minutes of residents' homes and workplaces. The hospital also will provide services to retirees and baby boomers moving into planned retirement communities.

"The time certainly has arrived for a full-service hospital to serve this region, and the residents of this area deserve nothing less,” said Sadau. “We are proud of our long history and relationship with this community, and we are committed to continuing to develop medical care that will meet the needs of residents for years to come. This is the right place and the right time for a new hospital to serve this area.”

The population in the primary service area for the new hospital is expected to grow by 35 percent by 2012. Leaders in Romeoville and Bolingbrook support the proposed new hospital because they believe it represents the best solution for meeting the health-care needs of the region.

More than 100 people attended the December 9 press conference, including government officials, hospital personnel, residents, media representatives, and other supporters. AHSMR will file a Certificate of Need with the Illinois Department of Public Health as the first step in the process of building a hospital.

Roger Claar, Bolingbrook's mayor, said, "Bolingbrook is the ideal location for a new hospital because it is centrally located in the heart of the population growth area and easily accessible via several highways."

“With growing density and longer travel times in our area, having a Level II trauma center in Bolingbrook will mean our paramedics will be able to deliver patients to a hospital-based emergency room in a timely manner,” said Charles Peterson, Bolingbrook fire chief.

The proposed hospital will have 138 beds—including 106 medical/surgical beds, 20 obstetrics/postpartum beds, and 12 beds in the intensive care unit.

Lynn Larson, Adventist Health System Midwest Region Lake Union Herald correspondent