\ Hospital passes its first year A bold mission that includes anticipating and satisfying the needs of the health care con sumer is essential to building for a solid future, says Nora C. O'Malley, president of Northern Illinois Medical Center, NIMC, celebrating its first year at the Route 31 and Bull Valley Road site during the month of June. "A year ago we relied upon our employees, auxiliary, board members, medical staff and civic-minded citizens to help make the move to the new facility," O'Malley said. "Both 'community and professional support were essential then and they are essential now. Only we're not moving beds and people as part of our progress, we're moving concepts and technologies. Today's hospital will not be tomorrow's hospital without a continuing in- terraction between the health care team and the people they serve. Thus, our continuing challenge is to back' up growth and commitment with an un derstanding of what is needed in this region, and the methods to achieve in a cost-effective manner." O'Malley, a Fellow of the American College of Hospital administrators (FACHA), credits her staff, the physicians, and the board of directors with making the first year at the new site so successful. "It would be naive to think that moving into a new building is enough to remain competitive in health Care. Our in-depth work was just beginning after we opened our doors last June, and the entire team was responsible for the development of many in novative services and programs. NIMC hap one of the highest rates of occupancy in Kane, Lake and McHenry counties (76 percent in medical- surgical cases, compared to the average of 62.3 percent), and an average length of stay (6.0 days compared to the average of 6.8 days). "This translates into dollars saved by the patient. No longer is anyone kept for a few extra days for a convalescent period that could be handled com fortably at home. It's not cost- effective for anyone, especially the patient," she said. To manage the new approach to acute care (the level of care typically needed for people who are seriously ill or have multiple injuries and require surgery), hospitals have had to redefine philosophies on staffing pat terns, additional services, and support personnel. "Many of the federal regulations concerning reim bursement through Medicare and Medicaid, as well as the rise of Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO's) and H e a l t h M a i n t e n a n c e O r g a n i z a t i o n s ( H M O ' s ) , dovetailed with our move into the new building a year ago," she said. "We were prepared, of course, but the staff had to cope with new care patterns deter mined by the building's physical Growing from its origins as McHenry Hospital, Northern Illinois Medical Center (NIMC) is structure, as well as with the change in acuity. In other words, we had patients for a shorter period but they were acutely ill, since a patient would go home once they were abulatory. The adjustments r e q u i r e d c o n s i d e r a b l e dedication from the staff." To cope with the ch trends m health care, developed new alternatives for patients who still need care but can go home, or would prefer outpatient treatment for other needs. "Our outpatient Surgicenter skyrocketed this year, and we had to expand the number of beds to meet the demand," O'Malley continued. "We also opened a short-stay unit for those who do not require to stay overight, but need more than two to four hours of rest following procedure. The Surgicenter is definitely a plus for the NIMC patient service area." NIMC also opened a 15-bed physical rehabilitation unit last year, the only one in Kane, Lake and McHenry counties. It offers 24-hour-a-day, seven-day s-a- week pharmacy service to the increased social services istofal Care to patients, ies and staff, added an outreach site in Algonquin-Lake- in-the-Hills for outpatient and preadmission screening, in creased the medical staff by 53 physicians, more than doubled its public education programs and professional education programs, and sold McHenry Hall, the former hospital building, to a developer ren- novating it for a senior citizen care-assisted living facility. "I am proud to say that we are financially solid and strong enough to remain an in dependent entity in health care. This way we truly can respond to meet the needs of our patient service areas because we're the people of the area," she added. "In addition to the Professional Acts Building we opened last November (adjacent to the NIMC building), plans are underway for an. addition to house the non-clinical services that were in McHenry HaU. We are adding a special mam mography suite designed especially to the tastes and needs of today's women. Our cardiac rehabilitation center is expanded with stress testing and Hotter monitoring. We've added many new surgical procedures due to the capabilities of the surgery suites. NIMC now does plastic surgery, breat recon struction and urological procedures it was not possible to do in the original building." Besides added services, NIMC is developing new pricing 815-459-2660 312-658-3332 Rt. 14 • Crystal Lake Daily Fresh Fish Specials Luncheon from $4.95 Dinner from $ 7.95 Live Entertainment Happy Hour 2 for 1,4 to 7 pm Hot & Cold Hors d'Oeuvres Banquets & Meetings Professional Service Complete, Flexible Menus Relaxing, Elegant Atmosphere % Move Over Mrs. Markham GROUP PLANS AVAILABLE JUN. 18 -JUL. 21 Also... SPECIAL ALL-INCLUSIVE DINNER/THEATRE PUN PACKAGESFROM ' ONLY Sit JO (Resemtions Required) DMnmm 115 PK Tm. Hid. 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JUNE 28.1985 Township road district plans lor future projects In addition to its routine summer road maintenance responsibilities such as mowing right of ways, patching blacktops, picking up litter, sweeping the streets, trimming tree branches along roads ana replacing road signs, the McHenry Township Road District must also plan for upcoming major endeavors. Some approaching projects for the Township Road District are: Lincoln Road at Cassandra Lane and Lily Lake Drain • According to McHenry Township Highway Commissioner John Regner, this is an area where there has been a reportedly high accident count over the years. It has been proposed to improve traffic safety by lowering the grade (cutting down the hill) at Cassandra Lane and re- engineering t the curve at the creek to provide a longer radius curve farther to the south. It is anticipated that the recon struction will not take place until 1987 or 1988 because of funding, Regner said. A joint bridge reconstruction with the McHenry County Highway Department is also involved. & East Wonder Lake Road (south branch, Route 120 to Hancock Drive - According to Regner, it appears that this roadway will need significant base and drainage reconstruction in the next five years if it is to provide satisfactory service well into the next century. Regner said it experiences a surprising amount of daily traffic since it provides a major access from Route 120 to the eastern shore subdivisions o of Wonder Lake. The hill at Route 120 should be further cut down to improve traffic safety, Regner said. A preliminary design study has been ordered to determine the current status of the road, what needs to be done to improve it and estimated costs. celebrating its first anniversary at Route 31 and Bull Valley Road. methods to pass along the savings to the consumer. "We are going to offer flat-fee rates for certain outpatient procedures, for x-ray work and nave one of the lowest fees for mammography," O'Malley said. "We are a not-for-profit organization, and when we see the successful results of the tough cost-containment period we conducted in the third and fourth quarters of our 1984-85 fiscal year, we believe the consumer must benefit. "This year was not a honeymoon. It was probably the- most difficult in terms of the 10 to 12 years it took to open a new medical center. Staff were still called upon to give themselves in every possible way. Budgets were honed, studied and men reduced again." To infroduct this MW miracle material to the Northern Illinois market, the first SO home owners responding to this ad will have their homes in sulated and resided for 33% off and receive FREE Gutters and Downspouts. 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Co. 3319 W Elm Street. McHenry. Ill 385 7111 JAMES M.MDNTEE, LAWYER AVAILABLE TO PRACTICE IN: Personnel Injury/Trials. Business Corporations Wills Probate. Divorce. Real Estate Workmen's Compensation 3436 W Elm Street. McHenry. III. For appointment phone 385 2440 Fnl GEORGE P. FREUND, INC. Case-New Holland 4102 W Crystal Lake Rd. McHenry Bus 385 0420 STEVEN J. CUDA ATTORNEY AT LAW 101 Van Buien Stieet Woodstock (815) 385 733? (815)338 1334 HOMI omci AVAILABt t 10 PKACIICI IN Personal Iniuiy. Corporation../Partnerships Trials. Zoning Wills Probate. Divorce Real Estate and Criminal Law DR. LEONARD BOTTARI 1303 Richmond Kd . MiHenry Eyes Examined Contact lenses Glasses fitted Mon . lues.. Thuis. fn 4 6 p.m Tues Thurs. hi 7 9 p.m. Sal. 9 30 3 p m Phone 385 4151 or J85 2262 McHENRY DENTAL CENTER DR. C J. LUDfORD DR. KEVIN WEGRZYN OPEN 3 EVENINGS A WEIK UNTIL 8 30 P M S SAI 385 1360 N 0 (laughing gas) & Valium (I V Sedation) Available I I R I U I RADIAL HUES ALL CARS KUROPA MOTORS. INC. 2318 Rte 120. McHemy 815 3850700 i ARE YOU NEW IN The McHenry Area? Do You Know Someone New? * We Would Like To Extend A Royal Welcome To Every Newcomer To Our Area!!! CALL 385-5475 A ROYAL WELCOME RECOMMENDS BUSINESS s mnSSSLniSSSn* 815/923-2214 °Bl'£tIOn ROYAL WELCOME | Know Your Area -- Royal Welcome Does It Best | w mtm ymcymc >MK *ick xmfjmtxm*