Expansion will create more than 100 jobs and expand access to care for area residents

Advocate Aurora Health announced plans today to expand the existing health center in Fond du Lac to include a 91,000 square foot hospital. The expansion will include an emergency department and 10 inpatient beds, with capacity for future growth.

“It’s important for high-quality health care to also be local,” said Jeff Bard, President, North Wisconsin Patient Service Area, Advocate Aurora Health. “We recognize that many residents have been traveling for health care services and we want to ensure that we have convenient access to health care in this community.”

The new Aurora Medical Center in Fond du Lac, part of Aurora Medical Center in Oshkosh, will increase access to integrated health care in Fond du Lac and the surrounding communities.

John Newman, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Oshkosh and Fond du Lac area for Advocate Aurora health added, “Patients are currently traveling to Oshkosh and other communities to have procedures that can be done by our specialists in Fond du Lac. We will be able to perform advanced diagnostics and procedural options, like hip or knee replacement, that require overnight stays.”

Patients needing subspecialty procedures like labor and delivery, cardiac catherization or stroke interventional procedures will continue to receive care at a more advanced care facility like Aurora Medical Center in Oshkosh or other Advocate Aurora Health facilities.

The design of the medical center will enhance the health care experience for both patients and their families offering a more convenient and innovative approach to care to better addresses the needs of the community. With more and more health care services being offered with short-term or no overnight hospital stays, the new medical center will expand access to specialty care without the need for dozens of inpatient rooms.

Advocate Aurora Health is committed to sustainable practices and wellness initiatives throughout the health care sector. As a founding sponsor of “Healthier Hospitals Program”, the community, as well as those that work at the facility, will see the operational efficiencies, sustainable environments and safer and more favorable patient outcomes and experiences because of this facility model.

The 91,000 square foot expansion is expected to cost $67 million. Construction is expected to begin spring 2021 and will be completed in 2022.

About Advocate Aurora Health

Aurora Health Care is part of Advocate Aurora Health, one of the 10 largest not-for-profit, integrated health systems in the United States and a leading employer in the Midwest with 75,000 team members, 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 Illinois and Wisconsin 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. The organization contributed $2.1 billion in charitable care and services to its communities in 2018. We help people live well.

About Advocate Aurora Safe Care Promise

Health and safety is our highest priority. The Advocate Aurora Safe Care Promise provides additional measures to protect patients and our team members. In person or online, we are here to ensure safe, comfortable and convenient care, and have taken additional measures to protect patients and their families including:

• Masking – Ensuring anyone who enters our locations is wearing a mask. If they don’t have one, we’ll gladly provide it.
• Screening – Taking the temperature and asking questions about symptoms and exposure to everyone who enters our locations.
• Social distancing – Rearranging our waiting areas and staggering appointment times to reduce traffic and create safe spaces.
• Virtual check-in – Facilitating check-ins with digital devices for seamless, low-contact arrivals.
• Enhanced Cleaning – Adding additional cleaning precautions in all areas and added handwashing/sanitizer stations.