ELDORADO, IL – Friday, Ferrell Hospital officials and community leaders cut the ribbon on the hospital’s $34 million expansion and modernization project.
The ribbon cutting ceremony was limited in attendance due to current statewide COVID-19 restrictions, but was broadcast live on the Ferrell Hospital Facebook page.
The project added 55,000 square feet of new space to the hospital that had previously been 33,000 square feet. Highlights of the addition include a new emergency department, operating rooms and endoscopy suite; enhanced radiology and lab services; 15 new private rooms; and an infusion area. New public areas, such as the cafeteria and lobbies, are also modern and spacious.
“This beautiful, modern facility will help us provide the most-needed and best-possible emergency, surgical and hospital-based care to patients here in Eldorado and throughout southern Illinois,” said Alisa Coleman, CEO. “Now that the new construction phase is over, we will begin modernizing the original facility, including patient rooms, physician offices and support areas.”
Ferrell Hospital, with more than 250 employees, is one of the largest employers in the area. Last year, the hospital had 1,007 total admissions, 12,111 outpatient registrations, and 6,043 emergency care visits.
The number of specialty services has also grown in recent years, and the newly-expanded facility will allow additional specialties to begin practicing at Ferrell in 2021, including ENT, orthopedics and oncology.
“Our vision, as it has been for years, is that the residents of our community can receive the majority of their health care needs right here at Ferrell,” said Dr. Nate Oldham, Chief of Staff, Ferrell Hospital. “This new state-of-the-art hospital will dramatically improve the patient experience, while at the same time keeping our commitment to the compassionate hometown care that our community has become accustomed to at Ferrell.”
