Governor Quinn Announces $791,000 in Grants to Northern Illinois Hospitals

SPRINGFIELD – Governor Pat Quinn today announced $791,000 in investments to hospitals in northern Illinois, part of $24.3 million in the Illinois Jobs Now! capital construction program to address the critical needs of health care institutions outside of the Chicago metro area. Today’s announcement follows Governor Quinn’s recent signing of a law that enacted the largest increase in health insurance coverage in state history, one of the Governor’s 2013 legislative priorities.

“It is crucial that hospitals have the most up to date facilities and equipment to deal with the health care needs of Illinois residents,” Governor Quinn said. “These grants will help northern Illinois hospitals provide better service to their patients.”

So far under Governor Quinn’s Illinois Jobs Now! capital construction program, private hospitals have received $150 million for critical health care needs.

The institutions in the area that will receive Illinois Jobs Now! funding include:

Lee County
Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital, Dixon, $215,000 to renovate the Patient Registration area.

Ogle County
Rochelle Community Hospital, $173,240 for IT upgrades.

Stephenson County
Freeport Memorial Hospital, $235,317 to reconfigure and resurface the visitor parking lot.

Winnebago County
OSF St. Anthony Hospital, Rockford, $167,665 for new radiology equipment.
Rockford Memorial Hospital, $539,342 for medical equipment upgrades.
Swedish American Hospital, Rockford, $431,815 to upgrade a linear accelerator.