In the News

Daily Herald, March 19, 2007

Lake Forest Hospital officials announced today they are seeking to turn their acute care center on Route 120 in Grayslake into a free-standing emergency room.

The change in status would mean the center, which opened five years ago, could take non-traumatic emergency patients on a 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week basis.

Thomas McAfee, president and CEO of Lake Forest Hospital, said the transformation could be completed by the end of 2007.

He said the acute care center is already equipped to handle most types of emergencies. All the acute care center needs is a heli-pad and an enclosed ambulance bay for patient transport services.

Also needed, however, is legislation approved in the state that would allow acute care centers in the state to take on emergency non-trauma patients.

State Sen. Susan Garrett, a Democrat from Lake Forest, said Monday morning that she introduced a bill at the state level to take care of that need.

“Every Lake County resident needs access to the best possible care in an emergency situation, regardless of where the live,” she said. “I have always said you can never have too many emergency rooms.”