Advocate Aurora Health hospital in Fond du Lac moves forward in May

FOND DU LAC – Construction is set to begin on new hospital and emergency facilities in Fond du Lac, and Advocate Aurora Health anticipates accepting inpatients by 2024.

The expansion of Aurora Health Center, 210 Wisconsin American Drive, was announced in 2020 but delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 70,000-square-foot project is now estimated to cost $74 million and will add an eight-bay emergency department and 10 new patient beds, for a total of 185,000 square feet of clinical space, according to a news release from Advocate Aurora.

For a particularly local touch, the center entrance will feature stonework inspired by “the Ledge” — the portion of the Niagara Escarpment that runs through Fond du Lac — aiming to encourage positive imagery for the patients.

Renamed to Aurora Medical Center – Fond du Lac, the new facility will partner with Aurora Medical Center in Oshkosh and extend health care access to Fond du Lac and beyond.

Clinicians will be able to perform surgical procedures that require overnight stays, such as hip or knee replacements.

However, more advanced centers, such as the Oshkosh location, will continue to take care of sub-specialty procedures, including labor and delivery, cardiac catherization and stroke interventional procedures.

Jeff Bard, president of Advocate Aurora Health’s North Wisconsin Patient Service Area, said with many Fond du Lac patients traveling for health care services, he believes the hospital could better serve them by offering convenient options nearby.

“Having access to high-quality health care locally is crucial,” he said.

The hospital will continue offering virtual care and in-person visits, and the expanded access to specialty care will address a growing number of patients receiving health care services with short-term or no overnight hospital stays.

Advocate Aurora Health is a founding sponsor of the Healthier Hospitals Program and aims to create operational efficiencies, sustainable environments and safer and more favorable patient outcomes as part of its commitment to sustainable practices and wellness initiatives.