The History of OSF Sacred Heart Medical Center – Danville
For more than a century, OSF Sacred Heart Medical Center has grown alongside the Danville community, responding to changing needs with compassion, innovation and faith-driven service.
This timeline highlights the milestones, people and progress that have shaped our shared history and continue to guide our future.
The Beginning
1882: A few Sisters from the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart arrived in Danville, Illinois. Three of the Sisters worked to start St. Elizabeth Hospital, and one Sister taught at a local school.
Late 1800s
1887: A fundraising campaign began for a new St. Elizabeth Hospital.
1888: A cornerstone was laid for the new St. Elizabeth Hospital.
1888: A fire destroyed the old St. Elizabeth Hospital building, and the newly built building sustained minimal damage. The Sisters safely removed 17 patients from the hospital.
1889: The new $60,000 St. Elizabeth Hospital was dedicated.
1898: A new brick gothic style church was erected at St. Elizabeth Hospital.
1892: Vermilion County Hospital opened, later known as Lakeview Hospital.
Early 1900s
1903: A new east wing addition was added to the existing St. Elizabeth building.
1919: St. Elizabeth added a fourth-floor medical-surgical unit, increasing bed capacity of 170.
1920s
1920: St. Elizabeth Hospital Nurses’ Training School was established.
1923: Lakeview Hospital installed a deep therapy X-ray machine. The only one in downstate Illinois.
1940s
1946: Stained glass memorial windows were installed in the St. Elizabeth chapel.
1947: St. Elizabeth opened a state-aided cancer diagnostic clinic, the 16th in Illinois.
1950s
1953: The St. Elizabeth chapel was remodeled under the direction of Father Armstrong, who was responsible for the design and financing of the project.
1958: A groundbreaking was held for a six-story patient tower at St. Elizabeth Hospital.
1959: A hospital fund drive was conducted to raise money to rebuild and modernize St. Elizabeth Hospital.
1970s & 1980s
1973: St. Elizabeth was named the area-wide trauma center for the region.
1980: St. Elizabeth announced an $8.9 million expansion project.
1980: Lakeview Medical Center started a three-phased, $21 million expansion and renovation project.
1981: St. Elizabeth established a hospice program.
1982: A new west wing was opened at St. Elizabeth Hospital that included a new emergency department, surgery center, obstetrics office and laboratory.
1987: St. Elizabeth Hospital opened an inpatient adolescent psychiatric unit.
Early 1990s
1997: The Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart, the Servants of the Holy Heart of Mary and Sisters of Mercy of the Americas created Provena Health.
1997: United Samaritans Medical Center became Provena United Samaritans Medical Center.
1999: Provena United Samaritans Medical Center in Danville, and Provena Covenant Medical Center in Urbana, joined to create Provena Regional EMS system, coordinating the emergency response activities of 47 agencies in eight counties.
2000s & 2010s
2000: The Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart celebrated 125 years of service to the Danville community with a special reception.
2006: The Sager Campus, formerly known as St. Elizabeth Hospital, was demolished and the property was donated to Danville School District 118.
2011: Provena Health merged with Resurrection Health Care to form Presence Health. Provena United Samaritans Medical Center became Presence United Samaritans Medical Center.
2018: OSF HealthCare acquired Presence United Samaritans Medical Center and renamed it OSF HealthCare Sacred Heart Medical Center. The name was chosen to honor the legacy of the founding Sisters of St. Elizabeth Hospital.
Early 2020s
2022: The OSF Care-A-Van was blessed and dedicated.
2023: A blessing and rededication of the birthing center was held.
2025: Physical therapy services were expanded to the old Polyclinic building located on Logan Avenue.
2025: OSF HealthCare announced that all inpatient services would move from the Urbana campus to Danville as one unified hospital working on two campuses.
2025: Plans were announced for a $6 million upgrade and expansion to the labor and delivery unit.