On Tuesday, July 16, Cook County Health (CCH) broke ground on a new $12 million state-of-the-art health center in the Belmont-Cragin neighborhood of Chicago.

"Improving access to high-quality healthcare services and has been part of my vision for Cook County. This new facility will allow Cook County Health to provide its patients with comprehensive outpatient services furthering our commitment to care for patients in the right place at the right time," said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. "Today's celebration is not just about the construction of a new building, but about the promise this project brings to people across Cook County who are in need of expert health care."

The construction for the new 25,000 square foot building located at 5501 W. Fullerton is expected to begin later this year and will be completed in 2020. With 30 exam rooms, the Hanson Park Health Center will provide pediatric and adult primary care, women's health, dental care as well as specialty services like cardiology and endocrinology. The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) food assistance program will also be onsite. By improving access to care and focusing on individual and community wellness, CCH can ultimately improve the health of all Cook Health patients, reduce unnecessary health care costs and decrease emergency room visits and inpatient stays. Cook County Health officials estimate that the site will accommodate more than 50,000 visits annually.

The new health center will provide our patients modern, welcoming space, reflective of the high-quality care they receive," said Dr. Jay Shannon, CEO, CCH. "With this project we are coming closer to realizing our future as a modern, integrated and culturally sensitive and person-centered health system. Our patients deserve no less."

The new Hanson Park Health Center will replace the Logan Square Health Center at 2840 W. Fullerton. The Logan Square Health Center will remain open until the new facility is completed. Over the course of the next year, CCH will open new facilities in North Riverside and Blue Island, all designed to provide the right care, at the right time, in the right place, as CCH works to avoid preventable hospitalizations.