Allison Sours has taken the helm as president and CEO of Graham Health System, with eyes on rural expansion and continued growth in communities like Galesburg.
Sours, a Central Illinois native from Tremont, joined Graham in 2018 as vice president of quality. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University and an executive master’s in strategic leadership from Bradley University. Sours succeeds Bob Senneff in the role.
In a WGIL Galesburg In Focus interview, Sours discussed Graham’s expansion in the Galesburg market to provide more patient choice in rural healthcare. The Graham Center for Ambulatory Care offers specialties like orthopedics, urology, and ENT, along with Convenient Care that serves as a front door to the system for many families.
Key elements of the center and future plans include:
- Serving as a “front door” to connect patients to primary or specialty care locally, reducing travel to larger cities like Peoria or the Quad Cities.
- Adding outpatient surgery and an accompanying imaging suite by late summer 2026, with the exterior of the expansion nearing completion.
- Recruiting clinical professionals, including nurses, nursing assistants, radiology technicians, and others, as well as non-clinical staff passionate about healthcare.
- Supporting the Graham Hospital Foundation, which raises funds for medical technology, nursing scholarships, and initiatives like the “Evening in Red” event in downtown Galesburg.
Sours highlighted the tremendous community reception. “Our vision is really just to continue to build upon the success that we’ve had because that success has meant so much to those that we serve,” she said.
She addressed challenges like recruiting clinical staff and navigating insurance uncertainties, while emphasizing patient-first care. “We have our clinical teams and our support teams that day in and day out think first about the patient before anything else,” Sours said. “And that to me shows that our growth will be truly sustainable in any market we go to.”
Graham employs over 900 people across 13 locations serving Fulton, Mason, McDonough, Knox, and Peoria counties. Sours also serves as president of the Graham Hospital Foundation and is involved in community efforts like the Tremont to Peoria St. Jude Run.