Trinity Regional Health System plans to add on to its hospital in Rock Island. The goal is to increase the size of its emergency room and the heart center, plus make mental health services more accessible. This morning, doctors, nurses, administrators, and other employees announced the 61 million dollar project, which still needs state approval.
Cardiologist Sanjeev Puri says both the heart center and E-R have run out of space. Currently, Trinity's west campus has three cardiac catheterization labs that are in use 80 to 90 percent of the time.
Dr. David Deopere, President of the Robert Young Mental Health Center, says over the years, many mental health centers have closed. So people who need help go to Trinity's emergency room or the Robert Young Center. The recent closing of a facility in Rockford has caused even more patients to come to Rock Island.
Trinity has applied for a Certificate of Need, and the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Review Board will consider the request in March. If approved, construction could begin in June, with completion in 2015.