FOND DU LAC, Wis. - Advocate Aurora Health began construction to expand its existing health center in Fond du Lac, adding a new 70,000-square-foot hospital. The expanded facility, to be called Aurora Medical Center – Fond du Lac, will offer a total of 185,000 square feet of clinical space, including 10 new patient beds and an 8-bay emergency department. The completed facility expects to welcome its first inpatients in early 2024.
Aurora Medical Center – Fond du Lac will partner with the larger Aurora Medical Center in Oshkosh to increase access to integrated health care in Fond du Lac and surrounding communities, while providing residents with cost-effective and convenient options. The facility, located at 210 Wisconsin American Drive, will be transformed into a center where clinicians will be able to perform surgical procedures that require overnight stays.
Patients who require acute sub-specialty care such as labor and delivery services, cardiac catheterization or interventional stroke treatment, will continue to receive care at Aurora Medical Center – Oshkosh or other larger Advocate Aurora Health facilities.
“Having access to high-quality health care locally is crucial,” said Jeff Bard, President, North Wisconsin Patient Service Area, Advocate Aurora Health. “We know many Fond du Lac residents travel to receive health care services right now, and we believe we can better serve them by offering more convenient options closer to home.”
With a growing number of health care services being offered with short-term or no overnight hospital stays, the design of the facility meets the community’s needs by expanding access to specialty care. Virtual care offerings and in-person visits will continue to be offered. The entry of the new facility is also designed with community history in mind. The medical center entrance will feature stonework inspired by the Niagara Escarpment geologic formation known as “the Ledge” in Fond du Lac and aims to encourage positive imagery for patients.
Additionally, 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 working at the facility will see the operational efficiencies, sustainable environments and safer and more favorable patient outcomes and experiences because of this facility model.
This project will expand health services and stimulate economic growth by creating more than 100 new jobs in the Fond du Lac community.
The 70,000-square-foot expansion is estimated to cost $74 million. The project, originally announced in 2020, was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.