Advocate Aurora Health is the 10th largest not-for-profit, integrated health system in the United States and a leading employer in the Midwest with more than 70,000 employees, including more than 22,000 nurses and the region’s largest employed medical staff and home health organization.
A national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care, the system serves nearly 3 million patients annually in Wisconsin and Illinois across more than 500 sites of care. Advocate Aurora is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies and is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology and pediatrics.
Making a Critical Investment in the Racine Community
Advocate Aurora Health is committed to expanding access to the highest quality health care in communities throughout southeastern Wisconsin. Expansion in this area is based on long-term projections of market dynamics and an opportunity to better serve the health care needs of this growing region.
Advocate Aurora Health has received Mount Pleasant Village Board approval to advance a planned medical center and medical office building and expand access to top-quality health care in Racine County, a region identified as one of the fastest growing areas in Wisconsin and the nation.
The Mount Pleasant Village Board voted February 25th to approve rezoning for a 198,000-square-foot medical center and 98,000-square-foot medical office building at State Highway 20, at Northeast Frontage Road and Washington Avenue.
The medical center has been designed to offer inpatient care, surgical services, an emergency department with intended level three trauma services, as well as many other ancillary services, including rehabilitation, imaging, laboratory and pharmacy. The medical center is being designed to include 60 medical-surgical and intensive care and 4 observation beds, 5 operating rooms, 2 procedure rooms, and supportive preparation and recovery bays.
The proposed medical office building will offer a range of outpatient services and house approximately 24 specialty providers, sports medicine and rehabilitation services. It also will house a small conference center that will provide meeting space for our employees.
The new facilities will offer patient-centered amenities, such as outdoor gardens and relaxation areas. They also will offer innovative technology designed to improve the patient experience, such as self-rooming design, which allows patients to bypass the waiting room, and care collaboration, which enables patients to move smoothly between sequential visits with different care providers on the same day.
A Sustainability Focus
In the interest of maintaining sustainable business practices and good environmental stewardship, Advocate Aurora will seek a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification for this project. This will be one of many factors contributing to Advocate Aurora’s goal of utilizing 100 percent renewable electricity by 2030.
Economic Impact
This development is projected to create approximately 342 new jobs in Mount Pleasant in the first year of operation – including 220 clinicians and providers and 122 support staff. Expectations are for additional staffing growth to reach nearly 540 jobs in year five and 590 in year ten.
With all necessary approvals from the Village, Advocate Aurora Health plans to begin construction on this project in summer of 2019 after road construction is complete and open to patients in early 2022.
Advocate Aurora is committed to expanding access and serving the growing health care needs of this community. This $228 million investment in the Village of Mount Pleasant will provide high-quality, cost-effective health care for residents of Mount Pleasant and greater southeastern Wisconsin. Advocate Aurora Health is enthusiastic about being a strong community partner and valuable health care resource for many years to come.
Meet RCEDC Board Member Lisa Just
Lisa Just is president of the Racine Kenosha Lake Patient Service Area for Advocate Aurora Health. She oversees Advocate Aurora Health’s services in eastern Racine and Kenosha counties as well as Lake County, Illinois. She is responsible for Aurora Medical Center Kenosha, Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, two surgery centers, and the area’s medical clinics.
Just joined RCEDC’s Leadership Council in 2014. Living in Racine County for over 20 years, she enjoys serving on the RCEDC board and supporting the work being done to provide businesses with the services needed to grow in Racine County.
“RCEDC has been a critical enabler of the development of the Chicago – Milwaukee Corridor and it’s rewarding to be a part of this organization at such an exciting time for our communities,” Just commented.
Just is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and serves on several other community boards including: Racine County Workforce Development, University of Wisconsin Parkside Foundation, and Kenosha Area Business Alliance. She is also a member of the Kenosha West Rotary.
