Healthcare. Re-Imagined.

HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital is entering a new era of healthcare in Decatur. We are reimagining our footprint and care delivery model to ensure our mission continues as we serve our current patients and future generations in a modernized environment.

Blue prints on a table Blue prints on a table

Project Overview: 

HSHS envisions a $90 million infrastructure renovation at St. Mary’s Hospital, with state-of-the-art surgical suites, re-imagined Chapel space, and relocating Cardiac Rehab for enhanced patient care.   Additionally, patient rooms will be enhanced, and clinical spaces will be upgraded.  

St. Mary’s Foundation will lead community efforts to support these improvements to the hospital, along with dollars pledged from the HSHS. In addition, funds raised through Foundation events, such as the Annual St. Mary’s Star Lighting, will also be dedicated toward the renovations over the next few years. Community and individual donor support will go toward specific parts of the project, such as Surgical Suites, The Chapel and Cardiac Rehab. 

Surgical Services

Enhancing the Perioperative Continuum of Care: 

  • 4 new operating rooms – We are building 4 new, state-of-the-art operating rooms, enlarged to be the optimal size for modern surgical procedures and equipment. The ceiling height with equipment installed overhead, rather than on the floor, enhances access to and safety around the surgical table for our outstanding surgeons and clinical support team members. Operating rooms will be easily adaptable to support multiple types of surgeries so St. Mary’s can continue to bring advanced procedures like orthopedics, urologic, neuro and more to the local community. 


Chapel Renewal

As Saint Francis was called by God to Rebuild His Church, our Chapel will continue to be the heart of our Catholic healthcare mission. It will be relocated closer to the front lobby for increased accessibility, visibility and safety while also providing privacy, and an intimate moment for prayer. For this very important portion of our modernization project, we have had great involvement from our local Adorers, local priests, the Springfield diocese, our HSHS system leaders, and our Hospital Sisters. Other enhancements include: 

  • Preservation and incorporation of the Prayer of St. Francis stained glass as a focal point in the new space with artistic back lighting.
  • Enhanced audio/video equipment to continue sharing Mass with patients in their rooms.
  • Accessible, inclusive seating with kneelers for those seeking comfort and for those attending Mass.


St. Mary’s Hospital will mark 150 years in Decatur in 2028, and we are positioning the hospital for success in the next 150 years. We encourage you to be a partner in making this vision a reality. Please contact the St. Mary’s Foundation at 217-464-2520 to talk with our staff to learn more about this modernization project or click here for giving opportunities. Thank you for supporting St. Mary’s Hospital!

Cardiac Rehab

Cardiac Rehab is a high priority service where patients return for multiple visits during their road to recovery. For ease of access from parking lot to door for our patients, we will be relocating this service area and building out the physical space. New exercise and monitoring equipment will be added that will provide the nursing team the ability to further support our patients actively rehabbing. The space will also be closer to our cardiology and other provider offices. 

Other Project Enhancements

  • Added access for enhanced care - Patient rooms will be renovated to enhance healing, with improved accessibility to meet new standards for care and safety and expectations of our valued patients and their families. 
  • Recovery Unit Expansion –Our Recovery Unit will have improved physical space for our care team to support and monitor patients that have received anesthesia. In addition, expansion of the space will include room for family to join patients prior to surgery and after. The space will also include dedicated areas to receive discharge information and for physical therapy and education. 
  • Benefits for our surgical care team - We thoughtfully planned for the best patient experience and most efficient ways to care for them, including workflow for our surgeons and surgical services colleagues. Central Sterile, where all surgical materials are transported to and from, will be relocated adjacent to operating rooms for ease of access, sterilizing, and maintaining.