Elgin, Ill. — With a whirlwind of extraordinary events, the new Sherman Hospital introduced itself to the people of the Elgin region last weekend. About 4,500 visitors toured the hospital on Sunday and nearly 1,000 civic, business, medical and philanthropic leaders toasted the official ribbon-cutting on Saturday evening.

Early Sunday morning, people began arriving at the new hospital’s open house, with 1,000 visitors touring in the first hour. Guests visited the hospital’s birthing center, private patient rooms, emergency department, same-day surgery and critical care areas. They also had a chance to gaze up at the striking, steel branches of the Tree of Life in the hospital’s airy atrium and take in panoramic views of the 15-acre geothermal lake that heats and cools the hospital. Sunday’s open house was the first and only time the public was allowed to tour the facility before it opens.

“We drive by it every day and saw it build up over the years. We just had to come in,” said Elgin resident Betty Ann Bultnick, who attended the Sunday open house with her husband, Paul. She used to work at Sherman and said she is especially impressed with the spacious private rooms in the new hospital. “It’s beautiful.”

Saturday evening’s black-tie-optional gala transformed the new hospital’s atrium and café areas into a dramatically lit party venue, showcasing the open architectural design of the front areas of the hospital. Guests also were welcome to take self-guided tours of the hospital, stepping inside large operating rooms, inspecting private patient rooms and observing how the birthing center rooms provide space for mothers and newborns to stay together.

“We are well on our way to fulfilling our mission to be the best community hospital in the nation,” said Rick Floyd, president and CEO of Sherman Health, as he and other Sherman leaders led the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the gala. Quoting Abraham Lincoln, Floyd thanked donors, elected officials, physicians, hospital staff and members of the Sherman Health board of directors for their vision and “full measure of devotion” in conceiving and building a hospital for the 21st century.

Rick Jakle, chair of the Sherman Health System board of directors, and Terry Dunning, chair of the Sherman Hospital board, recounted how the boards determined their vision, identified the new hospital’s location and navigated the process of attaining state approval to build the new Sherman Hospital. Lane Hoffman, chair of the Sherman Health Foundation board of directors, thanked those who helped raise funds for the new hospital.

The new hospital at 1425 N. Randall Road will officially open to patients at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, December 15. Until that time, persons needing medical attention must go to the current Sherman location at 934 Center Street in downtown Elgin.

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Daily Herald – Dec. 28, 2009