Letter: Working to change trajectory of Ottawa hospital plan

I went to Girl Scout camp in Butler, Pennsylvania. I knew it was small-town USA. When I learned about the assassination attempt on a presidential candidate, I immediately looked up info on where was the closest hospital and care available.

I learned that Butler, Pennsylvania, was a rural town of 13,000. It has a high poverty rate compared with the rest of Pennsylvania and the U.S. The community is about 35 miles from Pittsburgh.

The Butler city website described the town hospital where former President Donald Trump was taken:

“The Butler Memorial Hospital, serving the community since 1898, recently completed a new patient and surgical tower providing state-of-the-art medical care and a nationally recognized cardiac care unit. The innovative Community Health Clinic of Butler County offers health care for many residents.”

One can look up more detail on the hospital and the group of merged hospitals, but that strays from my purpose in writing.

Ottawa has been visited by at least three presidential candidates: Ronald Reagan, George Bush and Barack Obama. When they visited our community, and if tragedy struck, I believe the candidate would have been taken to Community Hospital of Ottawa, and quality care would have been administered.

But sadly, I wonder if that will be possible in the coming months if proposed OSF HealthCare plans are permitted to proceed.

Yes, I refer to the presidential candidates, but more importantly, I ache for our families, our neighbors, ourselves. We need the assurance that care will be given. It cannot become a maze of “Where should I go?” “Where will I be taken?” “How long will I wait for medical attention?” and even “How long will I wait for an ambulance?” as transfers will increase for our vulnerable patients.

We know our communities and hear the stories that worry us. It shouldn’t be that way. Continuity of care for the patient is the essence of a hospital.

We have been able to accomplish that task in current organization, but OSF plans will diminish the ability of our medical force to use their skills and collegial knowledge to wrap around patient problems presented.

Care in the OSF project seems so truncated for patients. Patients may be shuffled between unknown physicians and hospitals ... and that could be the norm. I’m unfortunately not referring to serious illness – just more common issues that can and should be handled locally.

Be clear that I am not referring to the quality of care of our physicians, nurses and the myriad of support staff. It pains me because I know in our facility good people are doing good work with those coming for medical care. They, too, will be compromised by the OSF plan.

Health care throughout U.S. is trying to find its future. Locally, destroying a good health care organization is not a solution. A well thought-out plan should boost the efficiency of hospital workflows for patients and staff.

OSF seems consistently nontransparent regarding the preciousness of health care plans for eastern/central La Salle County.

Attempting to think 12 medical/surgical beds is adequate is, again, incomprehensible. Knowing the number of rooms is inadequate, knowing people will be transported to other facilities, and knowing patients are stacking in hallways or remaining in ERs for a lack of inpatient rooms, as well as knowing they are proposing a hospital facility without an ICU department, is not quality planning.

Like Butler, Pennsylvania, one can read a description of our current hospital, published by OSF:

“The modernized facility contains 99 beds and state-of-the-art technology. Specialties available for in-hospital consultation include cardiology, general surgery, urology, radiation oncology, podiatry, ENT, gastroenterology, medical oncology, ophthalmology, psychiatry, substance abuse and psychiatric units. Tertiary referrals are made to Peoria, Rockford and Chicago.”

And yet, the OSF HealthCare plan says it will tear down the facility and landscape the property.

Our Citizens for Healthcare in Ottawa committee is working to change the trajectory. We well recognize and appreciate the groundswell of concern and support by local citizens. “A rising tide lifts all boats.”

Peg Reagan, Citizens for Healthcare in Ottawa committee member