Swedish American Hospital

Swedish American Hospital is a 357 bed non profit, teaching hospital located in Rockford, Illinois. The hospital is owned and operated by Swedish American Health System. The hospital was founded in 1911, opening its doors in 1918 following a period of fund raising. In the mid-1990s the hospital proposed a major campus overhaul that was eventually approved by the city of Rockford provided Swedish American assist in recovering a blighted neighborhood nearby. The hospital employees more than 350 physicians and includes an emergency room that is a level II trauma center.

History

In 1911, in response to a great need for healthcare services in Rockford, the city's growing Swedish community, under the leadership of Pehr August Peterson, decided to build a new hospital. Swedish American Hospital, founded in 1911, opened its doors to its first patient on July 18, 1918 with the completion of a 55 bed, US$175,000 facility. The hospital's completion followed a period of fund raising to pay for it.

During the mid-1990s officials at Swedish American proposed a long term hospital campus modernization and expansion. Part of the proposal was a request to the city of Rockford was to reroute Charles Street, which passed through the middle of the existing hospital campus. The city agreed, provided Swedish American help renovate and revitalize the blight neighborhood south of the hospital. The hospital acquired 31 properties in a six-block area south...
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