Published on April 21, 2022

Will County's first NICU opening in June

The first of its kind Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is set to open next month in Will County.

By FOX 32 News | Published 

Illinois Senator Dick Durbin helped to secure $500,000 in federal funding to help build the NICU.

The $12.9 million facility will have 24 private rooms, a family lounge, and dedicated rooms for parents to spend the night so they don't have to leave their baby's side.

The new NICU will care for premature newborns, full-term babies with congenital disorders, and help address infant mortality rates.

Patients of the NICU will be cared for 24/7 by a team of highly skilled doctors and nurses. The goal is to improve outcomes for new babies.

"I understand that there are 3,000 births here a year at Silver Cross and last year 50 of the babies had to be transferred to other hospitals because they didn't have a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit," Durbin said.

The NICU is set to open sometime in May.

Physicians on Silver Cross Hospital’s Medical Staff have expertise in their areas of practice to meet the needs of patients seeking their care. These physicians are independent practitioners on the Medical Staff and are not the agents or employees of Silver Cross Hospital. They treat patients based upon their independent medical judgment and they bill patients separately for their services.