Carle Richland Memorial Hospital: Critical Access Care in Olney, IL

Carle Richland Memorial Hospital (CRMH) is a licensed Critical Access Hospital located at 800 East Locust Street in Olney, Illinois, serving as the primary healthcare hub for Southeastern Illinois. Part of the Carle Health system since 2017, CRMH delivers emergency care, surgical services, long-term care, and a growing range of specialty services to patients across more than eight counties in the region.

Overview of Carle Richland Memorial Hospital

Carle Richland Memorial Hospital operates as a voluntary non-profit private facility under the broader Carle Health network, which spans dozens of locations across Illinois. The hospital holds a license number of 4788 and carries dual state designations: Acute Stroke Ready Hospital and Perinatal Level II, reflecting its ability to handle emergency stroke presentations and moderate-risk obstetric and newborn care.

The hospital serves as a clinical training site for the Southern Illinois University Physician Assistant Program, embedding academic medical education directly into community-based care. This partnership supports the development of healthcare providers prepared to address the needs of underserved rural communities across the region.

History and Carle Health Integration

Carle Richland Memorial Hospital has served the Olney community and surrounding Southeastern Illinois region for over 70 years. In 2017, the hospital made a strategic commitment to expanded care by integrating with the Carle Health system, one of Illinois’s leading health networks headquartered in Urbana. This integration connected CRMH patients and providers to a broader network of specialists, advanced diagnostics, and clinical resources.

In May 2026, the Carle Health system board approved a $45 million investment in the Richland campus. The two-phase project includes a new 46,000-square-foot specialty medical office building and an expansion of the Emergency Department. Groundbreaking for the medical office building is expected in late summer 2026, with projected completion in late fall 2027. The Emergency Department expansion is scheduled to begin in fall 2027, with a target completion of summer 2028.

Gina Thomas, DNP, MBA, serves as president of Carle Richland Memorial Hospital. She noted that the investment positions the hospital for growth and expansion of specialty services in response to community need. For a facility with roots stretching back more than seven decades, this expansion marks one of the most significant investments in its history.

Medical Services and Specialties

Carle Richland Memorial Hospital provides a comprehensive range of inpatient and outpatient services adapted to the needs of rural Southeastern Illinois communities. The facility holds an Acute Stroke Ready Hospital designation, allowing care teams to diagnose, stabilize, and transport acute stroke patients to higher-level centers when needed.

• Emergency Department with 24-hour access
• Surgical services including general and specialty procedures
• Diagnostic imaging (X-ray, laboratory, cardiac imaging)
• Cardiology and heart services
• Urology and podiatry
• Obstetrics and newborn care (Perinatal Level II)
• Rehabilitation: physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and respiratory therapy
• Pharmacy services
• Pastoral and chaplaincy care

The new specialty medical office building, once completed, will consolidate cardiology, urology, podiatry, and additional outpatient specialties from multiple satellite locations into a single connected space on the hospital campus. A new laboratory and infusion center will also be housed within the building, improving coordination and access for patients receiving ongoing treatments.

According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Critical Access Hospitals like CRMH play a pivotal role in preserving healthcare access in rural areas, where provider shortages and long travel distances can create significant barriers to timely care. The rural hospital designation allows CRMH to receive cost-based reimbursement, supporting financial sustainability in a low-population service area.

Long-Term Care Unit

The Katharina and Minnie Weber Long-Term Care Unit occupies the third floor of Carle Richland Memorial Hospital, providing a family-centered residential care environment for older adults and individuals with complex care needs. The unit has earned a five-star Medicare quality rating, reflecting its consistently high standard of care and staffing.

A multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, certified nursing assistants, licensed social workers, and activity staff delivers individualized care plans. Residents and families are encouraged to participate in care-planning meetings to contribute to treatment decisions. The unit offers a low staff-to-patient ratio, a distinguishing feature among comparable facilities in the region.

Long-term care inquiries can be directed to (618) 392-1512. Treated conditions at the unit include brain injury, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and stroke recovery. The unit draws on related hospital services including geriatrics, orthopedics, and therapy.

Patient Experience and Quality Ratings

According to the Illinois Hospital Report Card, 58% of patients surveyed would definitely recommend Carle Richland Memorial Hospital, a figure tracked against state and national HCAHPS benchmarks. The U.S. News and World Report hospital directory lists CRMH as rated in cardiology-related specialties including heart attack, heart arrhythmia, and heart failure care.

The hospital evaluates socioeconomic factors in patient outcomes, including care provided to Medicaid patients and individuals from historically underserved neighborhoods. This focus reflects a broader Carle Health commitment to health equity across the diverse communities of Southeastern Illinois. The Rural Health Clinic designation further supports access for patients in health professional shortage areas (HPSA), as tracked by the HRSA National Health Service Corps connector.

Research from the American Hospital Association indicates that rural hospitals serving multiple counties face distinct staffing and resource pressures compared to urban academic medical centers. CRMH addresses this through its SIU Physician Assistant Program partnership and its integration with the larger Carle Health network, which provides access to specialists practicing across 80 medical disciplines.

Appointments, Insurance, and Patient Resources

Patients can schedule appointments and manage health records through the MyCarle online portal at mycarle.com. The portal supports appointment booking, bill payment, and access to personal health information. Carle Health accepts a broad range of insurance plans; details are available through the insurance information section at carle.org or by calling the hospital directly.

Financial assistance programs are available for eligible patients through the Carle Health financial assistance office. Transparent pricing information is published online through the hospital’s price transparency page, in compliance with federal requirements. Patients may also access medical records through the centralized Carle Health medical records department.

Visiting hours, parking details, and facility amenities are documented on the Carle Richland Memorial Hospital location page at carle.org. General inquiries can be directed to (217) 383-3311, with the hospital’s main number at (618) 395-2131.

Related Carle Health Facilities in Illinois

Patients in Illinois who require services beyond CRMH’s scope may be referred to other facilities within the Carle Health network. Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, IL serves as the network’s flagship academic medical center, offering Level I Trauma care and nationally ranked specialty programs. Carle Hoopeston Regional Health Center provides comparable Critical Access Hospital services for rural communities in northern Vermilion County, sharing the Magnet-recognized standards upheld across the Carle Health system.

Together, these facilities form an interconnected regional care continuum that supports patient transfer, specialist referrals, and coordinated chronic disease management across Illinois communities of varying size and geographic reach.