Opinions for and against proposed emergency center in Lindenhurst

There was no shortage of opinions at a public hearing Tuesday on whether a new emergency center should be built in Lindenhurst.

Waukegan-based Vista Heath Systems is seeking state approval for the $4 million facility that would be built as an addition to its Surgery Center at 1050 Red Oak Lane.

The proposed seven-station center would be the second free-standing emergency center in Lake County. Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital opened a facility in Grayslake last November.

Leaders from area hospitals, along with public officials and emergency workers, spoke their minds at the public hearing in Lake Villa. It was scheduled by the Illinois Department of Public Heath.

Vista President and CEO Barbara Martin said emergency care is disproportionally clustered on the east side of Lake County. Folks living elsewhere in the county are left with long drives in heavy traffic as they race to an emergency room.

"We are doing this to address the geographic maldistribution of health care services in Lake County," Martin said. "Residents of north central and northwest Lake County don't have prompt access to the emergency services they deserve."

Martin had a few words for those who would oppose the project.

"You will be accountable to the residents of central and north central Lake County for arguing against health services located close their homes, schools and work places," she said. "You will be accountable to the local fire chiefs and EMS directors that are here today to advocate for this facility."

Officials from Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville were some of those who spoke in opposition. Executives from Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital and McHenry-based Centegra Health also came out against the plan.

Advocate leaders said adding emergency services would duplicate and saturate what is already offered in the county.

Condell was named a Level 1 Trauma Center in 2009. The hospital also has completed a major expansion of its emergency services and now has 32 stations.

Dr. William Maloney, director of Condell's emergency department, said the Level 1 Trauma status could be in jeopardy if Condell loses patients to Vista's new center. The hospital must hit 64,000 emergency room visits by the end of 2011 or risk being reviewed by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

"Convenience is not the same as need," Maloney said.

Officials from the Lake County Health Department spoke in favor of the Vista plan, as did state Sen. Terry Link, state Rep. JoAnn Osmond and Lindenhurst Mayor Susan Lahr.

Matt Koschmann, vice president of Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital, opposed the plan. He said the location of the Lindenhurst center is less than six miles from Lake Forest's new free-standing emergency center and is unnecessary.

"If our services are allowed to be duplicated, then our best efforts would be marginalized," he said.

Formal approval of Vista's plan could come in early June.