The state’s Health Facilities Council this morning approved Iowa Health – Des Moines’ proposal for a new hospital in West Des Moines on a 6-0 vote.

Iowa Health originally proposed the Michael R. Myers Hospital in Dallas County in 2004, but the Health Facilities Council rejected that plan. Last year Iowa Health came back with a proposal to replace Iowa Lutheran Hospital with a new Polk County facility.

The latest shift back to Dallas County came as Mercy Medical Center was preparing to start construction of a West Des Moines hospital that will replace its Mercy Capitol facility. The Iowa Health plan approved this morning calls for a $118.5 million hospital on the Lakeview Medical Campus, a block away from Mercy West Lakes Hospital, now under construction.