Cardinal Blesses Alexian Brothers Medical Center's New East Tower

Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., Archbishop of Chicago, blessed and dedicated the new east tower and ambulatory-care mall at Alexian Brothers Medical Center (ABMC) during a May 21, 2009 ceremony and festivities attended by more than 1,300 dignitaries, staff and other friends of Alexian Brothers Hospital Network.

The five-level tower, which began accepting patients in mid-June, adds 108 private beds to the Elk Grove Village, Ill., hospital, helping to increase its overall percentage of private beds to 100 percent.

The ambulatory-care mall, located on the tower’s ground level, houses the majority of the hospital’s outpatient services, offering one-stop convenience for patients and their families.

In remarks preceding the blessing, Cardinal George referred to ABMC and its new addition as “a great hospital.” Noting that the Alexian Brothers have devoted themselves to attending to the suffering of others for nearly 800 years, he said their way of life is at the heart of ABMC. “It’s more than a professional place,” he said. “It’s not just a place of service. It is a place of love made visible. ”

Cardinal George thanked the Alexian Brothers for their centuries-old commitment to healing and “for doing it here at a time when their way of life is not well understood.” The Alexian Brothers, he added, “have given their lives entirely out of love for Christ, for the poor, for the sick, for all those who come into contact with them.” He also expressed gratitude to ABMC’s benefactors and to everyone who works at the medical center. “They’re here because there is a love that impels them,” he said. “I thank them with all my heart.”

Four years in the making, the east tower represents the leading edge of hospital design, with 300-square-foot private rooms, natural lighting, art work showing beautiful scenery, and smaller, less obtrusive nurses stations, said John Werrbach, ABMC President and Chief Executive Officer. Research has shown that private rooms can help to reduce infection rates and patient stress while improving patients’ ability to sleep, he said. Research also has shown that natural lighting can reduce depression, and art work depicting natural scenery can reduce reported levels of pain, he said.

“Everything we’ve done here…is to get the patient well, not just physically but emotionally, holistically,” Werrbach said. “We’ve thought about this and we’ve brought in some great people to work as partners to design something that is the future of medicine.”

Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson said the new east tower reflects the Alexian Brothers’ caring and innovative approach to healthcare. “When you’re not feeling well, going through treatments, surgeries or whatever else, that’s a time you need your quiet and your privacy,” he said. “The Alexian Brothers saw that, and they’re innovative by doing this bed tower.”

Elk Grove Village is proud to be the home of ABMC, Johnson said. “We’ve got the finest medical facility, I believe in the world, right here in our community,” he said. “They are constantly being innovative, they’re not afraid to change, and they’re trying to always improve the lives of not only our community, but this entire region. We’re very thankful.”