The Illinois Health Facilities Planning & Services Review Board has approved Cook County Health’s Certificate of Need (CON) application to construct a new Central Campus Health Center. The state-of-the-art outpatient facility will be connected to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital at the corner of West Polk Street and South Damen Avenue.

The new nine-story 280,000 square-foot outpatient and administrative office building will consolidate many functions now housed in three outdated and inefficient buildings: the Fantus Health Center, the current CCH administration building, and the Hektoen building.  The new ambulatory center will enable CCH to expand outpatient services, offer a modern patient experience, reduce operating costs, avoid costly capital renewals for dilapidated buildings, and improve clinical and administrative efficiency.

The plan also includes the creation of a women and children’s health center on the fourth floor of Stroger Hospital where labor and delivery and inpatient pediatrics are currently located. Outpatient pediatrics and gynecological services, which are currently provided in Fantus Health Center, and prenatal care services will be re-located to the fourth floor of the hospital.

CCH sees more than 100,000 unique patients through over 550,000 clinic visits annually on the central campus alone, demonstrating the need for a more clinically efficient and upgraded Central Campus Health Center. Groundbreaking for the project is expected first quarter of 2017, with an anticipated opening in third quarter of 2018.

The proposal of construction of the Central Campus Health Center was released by CCH and Cook County in April 2016.