During the past five years, Adventist Midwest Health developed a stronger presence in the Chicago suburban market through its ownership, management, and operation of Adventist Hinsdale Hospital, Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital, Adventist GlenOaks Hospital, and Adventist Bolingbrook Medical Center. Plans to open Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital in 2007 are in progress and this state-of-the-art facility is recognized as the first new hospital in the state of Illinois to be built in 25 years. The region also includes Chippewa Valley Hospital, the physicians of Adventist Health Partners, and other affiliated organizations.

Significant historical milestones were also reached by our organizations—100 years for Adventist Hinsdale Hospital, 50 years for Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital, and 25 years for Adventist GlenOaks Hospital.

With more than 5,000 employees, more than 1,200 volunteers, and a medical staff of more than 1,200 physicians, Adventist Midwest Health handles in excess of 31,000 inpatient admissions and 410,000 outpatient visits annually.

Adventist Bolingbrook Medical Center and Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital

Opened in 1981, Adventist Bolingbrook Medical Center provides outpatient services and emergency care to the area residents. In 1998, this facility was certified as the first free-standing emergency center in Illinois, offering 24-hour emergency care. As community needs grow, our partnership with them continues to reach new heights. In Fall 2005, construction began on Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital, a 138-bed, full-service hospital that will include 102 medical/surgical, 20 obstetrics, and 12 intensive care beds. Plans also include an office building added to the campus to serve the growing community.

Adventist GlenOaks Hospital

A 186-bed facility, Adventist GlenOaks Hospital is ready to meet the health care demands of the growing community in the western suburbs. Providing more than 47,000 patient visits per year, Adventist GlenOaks Hospital offers acute care, obstetrics, cardiology, and behavioral health services. As a pioneer in reducing emergency department wait times, Adventist GlenOaks Hospital currently has plans for a new emergency center and medical office building.

Adventist GlenOaks Hospital celebrated its 25th anniversary, with various programs that included a series of week-long cultural diversity celebrations designed to honor and understand the different cultures represented at the hospital.

Adventist Hinsdale Hospital

The centennial celebration in 2004 marked 100 years of service and was an excellent opportunity to remember the strong foundation set by David and Mary Paulson, physicians and co-founders of Hinsdale Sanitarium and Hospital. The rich legacy they began led to the health care ministry Adventist Hinsdale Hospital offers today. Recent renovations to the Koplin Emergency and Trauma Center, Koplin Family Endoscopy Center, the pediatrics unit, and other patient care units, feature the latest in patient comforts, staff efficiencies, and technological advances for diagnosis and treatment. The hospital is a 426-bed facility that delivers high-tech tertiary care, including Level III neonatal services, and features several centers of excellence—Rooney Heart, Birck Family Women and Children Center, and Opler Cancer Center. Adventist Hinsdale Hospital ranked 32nd among hospitals in the United States for Neurology and Neurosurgery by U.S. News & World Report in 2005.

Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital

Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2005 and is looking forward to the opening of its new five-story, 225,000 square foot Patient Care Center later this year. The addition will provide private rooms, expanded waiting areas, and a state-of-the-art medical facility that includes a 27-bed intensive care unit. The new facility will offer easy access to the campus with welcoming interiors and integration of technology. The 223-bed hospital will continue to provide a full range of cardiology, oncology, and medical/surgical services to the surrounding communities.

Chippewa Valley Hospital

Chippewa Valley Hospital serves a rural community in Durand, Wisconsin, with a 25-bed critical access hospital and an attached 58-bed skilled care nursing facility.

Adventist St. Thomas Hospice

Adventist St. Thomas Hospice began in 1980 as a volunteer program and has grown into a full-service hospice, touching over 800 families in 2005. Named after a courageous 17-year-old teen battling cancer, Adventist St. Thomas Hospice follows the hospice philosophy of specialized assistance for individuals with advanced, incurable illnesses who seek palliative care or relief from pain or discomfort. The program also offers support for patients' family and close friends, including a grief support program for children called Tommy's Kids. The group is for children who experience significant loss due to the death of a parent, sibling, grandparent, or friend. An informal adult grief support group meets simultaneously to discuss opportunities adults have to deal with children’s grief and how help them through the loss.

Adventist GlenOaks Therapeutic Day School

Adventist GlenOaks Therapeutic Day School celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2005. This fully-accredited, third- through 12th-grade program offers a variety of curriculum and therapies for students with social-emotional disorders and learning disabilities, at three campuses throughout Chicago's western suburbs—Glendale Heights, Glen Ellyn, and Aurora. This highly-specialized, educational organization is the top referral choice of area school districts, thanks to its 100 percent graduation rate. The school teaches lifelong principles, including social, living, and vocational skills. The goal is to assist students in the development of self-awareness, confidence, and problem-solving strategies so they can re-enter community schools and transition into successful careers.

SIDE BARS/BOXES:

In addition to community outreach, education, and Spiritual Ambassador programs, Adventist Midwest Health participated in a mission trip to Ghana, West Africa. Administrators and employees worked side by side to conduct medical ministries, youth and children’s programs, as well as help build a block and concrete women's dormitory for a Seventh-day Adventist school.

On Friday, September 12, Adventist Midwest Health was recognized by the American Red Cross as a lead corporate partner in the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Employees represented the organization at a state-wide telethon to raise funds for the hurricane victims. Held at the Hewitt Associates offices in Lincolnshire, Illinois, and hosted by the Illinois Broadcasters Association, the telethon was a great success, garnering $6,488,793 in less than 24 hours. Adventist Midwest Health and its medical staffs presented a corporate donation of $150,000 on behalf of employees and physicians.

SIDE BAR/BOX:

In November 2004, Adventist Midwest Health changed its name from Adventist Health System Midwest Region to provide a more concise reflection of who we are and what we represent. As a part of this brand strategy, the hospitals and affiliated organizations incorporated "Adventist" into their names.

Ernie Sadau is the Adventist Midwest Health president/CEO.