Quincy, Ill.-based Blessing Health System is seeking state permission to move its existing surgery center out of a building owned by Quincy Medical Group, local NBC affiliate WGEM reports.
What you should know:
1. Blessing Health System operates a surgery center in a building owned by Quincy Medical Group. While Blessing's lease with Quincy Medical Group doesn't expire until 2023, system leadership indicated they would not renew their lease, at that time.
2. Blessing Health System wants to relocate its center to a standalone property near its main campus.
3. The 36,000-square-foot center would cost $21 million and would feature three operating rooms and three procedure rooms. It would connect to Blessing's campus via sky bridge.
4. Quincy Medical Group recently received state permission to open a new surgery center in Quincy, which will compete with Blessing's existing center. Blessing Health System repeatedly objected to QMG's new center while it was being considered.
Tim Koontz, board chairman of Blessing Corporate Services, said of the new proposal: "Now that Quincy Medical Group has received approval for their own surgery center, leasing space from QMG is no longer a viable option. In order for us to compete, we need to have our surgery center in a building we own so that we can continue to provide the safety-net services our community needs."
5. Blessing's relocation proposal would require approval from the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board.