Hospital moving ahead with expansion in Orland Park

It’s hard to believe that the Palos Community Hospital’s South Campus has occupied the property at 151st and West Avenue in Orland Park since 1985. Many changes have occurred since its opening, including tripling in size of the original facility and the addition of physicians and sophisticated medical technology.

Now, the hospital wants to bring a new “healthy” facility to the area that will serve the needs of many at a local level both now and into the future, said Tim Brosnan, Palos Hospital vice president for planning and community relations.

Hospital officials had indicated that a $133 million expansion project was in the works. There were concerns that the nearby Palos Health and Fitness Center would have to close because of the project.

But officials recently said the center will stay open.

In a recent interview, Brosnan said the overall plans for the site are to “update, modernize, and improve access to the community for diagnostic and treatment services. . . This will be a significant benefit for patients.”

Brosnan said original costs for the project are now expected to be less.

“We are finalizing the design plans for the building, cost, and timeline,” Brosnan said. “The cost is expected to be lower.”

Hospital officials hope to have details hammered out by August, when they hope construction starts.

The South Campus will be able to help provide treatment of cancer, cardiovascular issues, aging, orthopedic, and neurological problems, Brosnan said.

Orland Park officials said there also is possibility for a retirement center.

“We had a need to expand,” Brosnan said. “Current facilities are at capacity and this project will expand physician presence and access to specialized services, including cancer care. And while future land use plans are not solidified, our goal is provide care across a broad continuum, including the opportunity for post-acute care facilities and services.”

Orland Park Mayor Dan McLaughlin said: “I am excited for Orland Park and our aging population when I hear about future plans for the Palos Hospital Primary Care site. To possibly include a post-operative rehab center, along with the possibility that this site may include a retirement center and assisted living all on one campus with the primary care facility and cancer center will make this one of the more unique campus settings for health care in the state. And, I feel good that keeping the fitness center as part of this campus just adds to its unique character and draw. All surrounded by hundreds of acres of park land.”

The Palos Hospital’s South Campus has a large home health care service with skilled nurses providing care to more than 600 patients per day – along with their hospice and private duty programs. They also are able to provide telemonitoring services – where they can monitor patients in their own homes.

They have recently opened a Congestive Heart Failure and Cronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Clinic focused on keeping people well. The facility also is working with area skilled nursing facilities to better facilitate the care and outcomes for discharged patients. Chronic illness is not a reason to be hospitalized, but it needs to be managed so that patients can actually have an improved quality of life.

Of course, a project of this size does not happen overnight, in close proximity to utilities and roads, there is a lot that will happen before the “unveiling.”

And likely, some shifts and changes are also along the way. Facility and Orland Park officials are working closely together to assure that the needs of the community and the project can both be addressed.

Creating a healthy campus includes the physical attributes for landscaping, use of property, placement – making this a safe, beautiful, accessible campus. Utilities and roads have to be coordinated in an orderly fashion; while maintaining the current busy campus – and taking into account their neighbors.

Both Palos Community Hospital’s South Campus personnel and Orland Park officials are very excited about how things are progressing. Brosnan said how pleased the hospital was to work with the village to preserve some of the facility and also expand services.

“Working with the village will be a great opportunity to make this project the best of all worlds,” Brosnan said. “We wish to provide for a healthy lifestyle and better access to health care as a whole.”