New plans for the expansion of Kishwaukee Community Hospital could be announced in the next few months.

Kishwaukee has been the DeKalb-Sycamore area’s leading healthcare provider for the past 28 years, but it is now looking to improve on the needs of the entire DeKalb County health system.

Kevin Poorten, Kishwaukee Health System president and CEO, along with the Kishwaukee Board of Trustees, has been gathering data, analyzing market studies and looking at growth trends in an effort to come up with a “strategic master plan” to deal with the future needs of the health system.

“We’re doing research to see what the community will look like 20 to 30 years from now and try to understand the needs given community growth, access and central location in the market,” Poorten said.

“[Kishwaukee] is taking a risk based on the needs of the community. Planning is the very best way to make the best judgment,” said Jim Ciesla, NIU public heathcare administration professor.

Not only is Kishwaukee looking to provide for the needs of their primary market, which includes DeKalb, Sycamore and Cortland, but it also is looking to expand its reach to fulfill the needs of its secondary market, which includes all communities outside the primary audience in DeKalb County.

Population growth and access from the entire DeKalb community are key issues that are to be looked at, Poorten said.

Departments such as the outpatient center, radiology and laboratory are starting to get to their capacity, Poorten said. Outpatient care is rapidly becoming the most desirable and affordable use of the health care system for people to use, Ciesla said.

There are five main options that are being considered for possible expansion plans.

The first option would be the “minimum investment.” This means that there would be no changes to the current facility at all.

The second option is to remodel the current facility on Bethany Road with very little to be expanded.

The third option is to expand and remodel the current facility. This may include building a patient tower with more beds and renovating the current departments within the hospital.

The fourth option is to replace the current facility with a new facility at the same location on Bethany Road. The fifth option is to replace the current facility with a new facility on a new site. Possible sites have not yet been named.

The options that are being given the most serious consideration are options three, four and five. Future community needs seem to be great enough for the Board of Trustees to lean toward eliminating options one and two, Poorten said.

Kishwaukee plans to hold meetings on Thursday and Friday to discuss the needs of the community and the five main options.

Kishwaukee invited community leaders from DeKalb County and local doctors and physicians to participate in focus groups at the meetings. Plans are expected to be released by the end of the year.