Foundation raises money for expansion of Mercer County hospital

| Tuesday, February 12, 2008

J.C. Taylor

ALEDO, Ill. — The Mercer Foundation for Health has unveiled a campaign drive to help with a $10.5 million Mercer County Hospital expansion and renovation.

The group set a goal to raise $1 million for the facility, built more than 25 years ago. The campaign co-chairmen are Dr. Dennis and Vicki Palmer of Aledo.

“Since 1982, the hospital has a lot of structural changes that need to be made for one thing to just meet state codes and to make it safe,” Dennis Palmer said. “We’re also a critical access hospital now, too, which means we have to focus on a lot of the outpatient services, not so much the inpatient services.”

The project will expand outpatient areas, including physical therapy, cardiopulmonary services, lab, radiology and emergency department. Other upgrades will include the fire suppression and detection system and improvements to the heating and cooling system.

The Medical Associates Clinic housed at the hospital will be moved to a new location off-site, and the  vacated space will become the hospital’s business occupancy office.

Hospital employees pledged $71,000 for the campaign.

“We want the hospital to be successful,” foundation chairman John Malone of Aledo said. “As long as we have that hospital growing and developing, it’s good for the county, it’s good for the economic development of the county, and it’s good for our life here in Mercer County.”

Construction is expected to begin this summer.