Locals voice overwhelming support for proposed NorthPointe Neighborhood Hospital
Roscoe Village Trustee Michael Wright, HRFD Chief Kevin Briggs, and others laid out their case for the hospital. Of all speakers, only one spoke against.
Over 100 local residents attended the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board's public comment meeting, focused on the proposal for the NorthPointe Neighborhood Hospital (NPNH), a not-for-profit hospital that would accept Medicare and Medicaid patients, on July 14, 2025. The NorthPointe Neighborhood Hospital would be a 10-bed hospital with an emergency room and operating room, located at Beloit Health System's NorthPointe campus on Rockton Road in Roscoe, IL. The expansion of the existing NorthPointe facility is estimated to cost $21 million. The IHFSRB denied the request in 2024, saying there was already an adequate number of hospital beds in this region of Northern Illinois. This time around, Beloit Health System has partnered with Freeport Health Network, which allows the transfer of 10 beds from Freeport to NorthPointe instead of creating new ones. Supporters also cite the closure of Mercyhealth on Rockton Avenue in Rockford, which resulted in a reduction of hospital beds in the region.
The hearing was held at Roscoe Township Community Center. All the speakers spoke in support of NPNH except one. Jeni Hallatt, a vice president at MercyHealth, expressed concerns that, in her view, the NPNH plan has not changed since the previous denial. She said that the application prompts some staffing concerns of onsite physician support to care for patients, and that the residents of Rockton-Roscoe-South Beloit “are blessed to reside in an area that includes so many options for obtaining healthcare services.” She cited that within 20 miles of NorthPointe, there are 7 hospitals (4 of which are in Illinois), 2 of which are level one trauma centers, 8 existing emergency departments, a 9th under construction, and more than 12 urgent care centers. “When you put a sign on a facility that says hospital, it means something to the public…What happens when there are two patients needing emergent surgery and there’s only one OR?”
As Ms. Hallat spoke second, many commenters replied to her assertions. Multiple commenters highlighted the long drive times to Rockford, which seem even longer with a sick baby in the backseat. (Disclosure: the author of this article has driven to Rockford with a sick baby in the backseat, but did not share any public comment at this meeting.)
Dr. Roger Kapoor of the Beloit Health System said the NorthPointe Neighborhood Hospital is not a novel concept. Rather, small hospitals like this have been utilized with great success around the country. “They are deeply rooted in the neighborhood for which they serve. They are built to handle those most common emergencies and either quickly treat them or stabilize them so that patients ultimately have the best possible outcome.” He responded to Ms. Hallatt’s concern about only having one operating room. “It’s a valid question, but the answer is actually pretty simple. We’d apply the exact same protocols that every hospital uses, big or small… again, that’s not unique. Large hospitals get overwhelmed [and] rely on large transfer networks.” According to Dr. Kapoor, this small hospital would fill a gap and let patients be seen and stabilized faster, “which is better than having to spend 30 minutes trying to get to an emergency room before you can see your first point of contact.”
In sharing his support of the hospital, Roscoe Village trustee Michael Wright cited a recent community health needs assessment that it can take up to 6 months to schedule a medical appointment. “My job as a village trustee is to find out what residents want for the village. Over 1,400 friends and neighbors have spoken, and they want a neighborhood hospital,” said Wright. Wright capped his comments with reasons people come to this community. “A lot of us come here for schools... our schools are great. We always prioritize public safety and fire safety as our top priorities. It’s a great thing. I see absolutely no reason why we can’t add a third one, and that’s healthcare.”
Stakeholders from each group highlighted their key points in support of the plan. Beloit Health System administration and physicians spoke at length about how NorthPointe Neighborhood Hospital would enable more local care and prevent people from having to cross the state line. They also cited a 2022 study demonstrating that Rockton and Roscoe had a shortage of healthcare professionals living and working in the area. NorthPointe also currently has a wellness facility and birthing center for non-complicated births. This 10-bed hospital would allow better birthing outcomes if complications arose or quicker emergency treatment for members of the wellness facility
Both State Senator Andrew Chesney and State Representative and former South Beloit Police Officer John Cabello sent staff representatives to read their remarks in support of the hospital and have them entered into the official record. Shelly Grigeroff, Cabello’s chief of staff, read the following into the record.
“I truly believe that having access to an emergency room directly in town will save lives. To me, the decision of whether to approve this facility should be based on what’s best for the families who live here. Not on what’s happening or who spends what in other communities. The truth is that every minute less that a member of Rockton, Roscoe, or South Beloit communities has to travel to get emergency care is a better chance that their lives being saved or their health improving… We should not have to send individuals in need up to Wisconsin or south by another 20-30 minutes if we have the resources to meet the need here at home… Families should not have to sit and wait for emergency care while our ambulances are tied up making longer round-trip drives out of the area.”
Kevin Briggs, Deputy Chief of Roscoe’s very own Harlem-Roscoe Fire Department, spoke about how Roscoe’s explosive growth since the early 2000s has brought both opportunities and challenges concerning medical care. “This growth has increased the demand for emergency services, resulting in increased first responder times. Last year we responded to 4,000 calls. Eighty percent of those are EMS. At any given time, one of our three ambulances can be out of service at a Rockford hospital.” Chief Briggs emphasized that NorthPointe Neighborhood Hospital would enable quicker turnaround times for ambulance calls and enhance emergency outcomes.
Chief Briggs’ position was further emphasized at the end of the meeting when the review board asked if anyone else not on the list wanted to testify who had not had an opportunity. Local Rockton resident Lynette Nelson spoke about her EMT experience with her late husband. “And the EMTs came several times [...]. And we were transported. He was transported to Beloit Health System, which is awesome…So I guess my message is this: when the EMTs come, they take all the time in the world to help the patient. And my husband…they stay there until your family can come. And don’t leave. And then the sheriff’s department comes and stays with you…And I’m going to tell you that the time people take is taking away from other people, but they do it anyway.” The tone implied her gratefulness for EMT services provided, with Ms. Nelson hoping that NorthPointe Neighborhood Hospital would improve EMT turnaround times.
Some local community members have expressed concern outside of this meeting that bringing more healthcare to this area would unfairly take away from Freeport. When asked for comment on moving 10 hospital beds from Freeport’s 100-bed facility to Roscoe, Dr. Clarence Parks, Chief Medical Officer at FHN, shared that this partnership won’t negatively impact Freeport, as Freeport usually has only 60 beds occupied, with the average creeping up to the mid-70s during cold and flu season.
- Anyone interested in submitting a written comment for the record has until September 5, 2025, to do so. Comments can be submitted by contacting the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board, care of the Illinois Department of Public Health, at 525 West Jefferson Street, 2nd Floor, Springfield, IL 62761, or by email to dph.hfsrb@illinois.gov.
- This project is scheduled for consideration by the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board at its September 25 meeting at the Bolingbrook Municipal Golf Club at 2001 Rodeo Dr., Bolingbrook, IL.
- Testimony for and against the previous application is posted online.
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