The two-story addition will be built on the west side of the facility, between the hospital and Main Clinic, and will house a replacement Sterile Processing Department and provide expanded capacity to support surgical services.
The project represents a continued investment in CGH’s ability to meet the growing healthcare needs of the Sauk Valley region. The expansion will provide the space and support systems needed to accommodate increasingly sophisticated surgical technologies and the continued growth of surgical services.
“We’ve added physicians and surgeons, expanded services, and brought in some new surgical technologies,” said Dr. Paul Steinke, CGH President and CEO. “We are caring for more patients throughout the region, and it’s growth that we are proud of. But we have to continue to invest in our facilities, and that’s what we are doing here today.”
Supporting Surgical Services for the Future
The existing Sterile Processing Department was built approximately 20 years ago, and the space no longer meets the needs of CGH’s surgical services. Sterile processing plays a critical role in patient safety by ensuring surgical instruments and equipment are properly cleaned, prepared and sterilized for use.
The new space will be designed to improve workflow and efficiency while providing surgical teams with the resources they need to support patient care.
“This has been a long time coming. We are at a point where we really need this expansion, and we are looking forward to bringing that forward for our surgical team,” said Cindy Zander, CGH Vice President of Support Services. “It’s very exciting to see this project moving forward and to know it will make the department more efficient with cutting-edge technology behind the scenes.”
Steinke recognized Zander’s leadership and dedication in bringing the project to this stage, noting the extensive planning, coordination and problem-solving involved. Zander and CGH’s internal project team – including Bob Lehman, Facilities Director, and Tim Schumaker, Facilities Supervisor – worked closely with the design team, sterile processing technicians, surgical staff, and support teams to ensure the plans reflect the department’s operational needs.
“We are very excited about this project, and we hope the space we are building will make our surgical team happy and provide them with what they need for years to come,” Zander said.
“Most of our patients will never see the space we are talking about. They won’t be awake for it. But it’s essential to their safety and the quality of care that they receive,” Steinke said. “Ultimately, this investment is about positioning CGH to continue growing, bringing more advanced care to our community and allowing more patients to receive the care that they need close to home.”
Project Partners
Bringing the Surgical Services Expansion from concept to reality requires a collaborative effort between CGH’s internal leadership and an expert team of construction and design partners. Russell is serving as the general contractor, with Shive-Hattery providing architectural services and IMEG handling engineering. Representatives from all three firms attended the groundbreaking alongside CGH leadership, board members and City of Sterling representatives.
“It’s more than a building; it’s a commitment to the community, and we take our work very seriously,” said Lee Marbach, Project Executive for Russell. Marbach also recognized Nick Good, Russell’s on-site superintendent, who is a Sterling resident and will lead the effort at the project site each day.
Ryan Anderson, Principal Architect with Shive-Hattery, highlighted the collaboration involved in developing a design tailored to CGH’s needs. The design team worked with sterile processing technicians, surgical staff and support teams to better understand department workflows, equipment movement and operational demands.
“Each of these conversations allowed us to right-size this project to the needs of CGH and the community,” Anderson said.
