November 22, 2024
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OSF seeks to postpone Ottawa hospital decision for 6 months

City of Ottawa opposed reduction in services being proposed

By Shaw Local News Network
OSF HealthCare plans to build a new inpatient hospital in Ottawa, the hospital chain announced Wednesday in a news release. The new hospital will be built across the street, south of East Norris Drive (U.S. 6), on a vacant 31-acre plot of OSF-owned land, OSF said in its release. The current OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center was built in the early 1970s and is at the end of its useful life with infrastructure challenges necessitating this decision, the hospital said.

FILE – OSF HealthCare is asking regulatory officials to pause its plans for the new Ottawa hospital. The health care provided had planned to build a new inpatient hospital in Ottawa across the street, south of East Norris Drive (U.S. 6), on a vacant 31-acre plot of OSF-owned land, OSF has said. (Scott Anderson)

OSF HealthCare is asking regulatory officials to pause its plans for the Ottawa hospital.

The health care provider needs approval from the Illinois Health Facilities Review Board to move forward with its plans to decommission its existing hospital in Ottawa and build a new facility – with reduced services – across the street on vacant land it owns.

But first, they need more time to talk to Ottawa city officials, according to an Aug. 26 letter to the Illinois Health Facilities Review Board signed by four OSF officials.

“The projects are tentatively scheduled for the Sept. 19, 2024, HFSRB meeting,” OSF wrote the agency. “We will be requesting a deferral for an additional six months to allow time for continued discussion with Ottawa officials.”

OSF HealthCare had requested a deferral in July as well to to meet with city of Ottawa officials to “discuss their opposition to the proposed Ottawa projects.”

Ottawa Mayor Robert Hasty said the city had no immediate comment but said a shared statement from the city and Chamber would be issued later.

The Ottawa City Council, along with the cities of Streator and Marseilles, the La Salle County Board and the Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce, had opposed OSF’s plan to build a new hospital that reduces some services in Ottawa. At the heart of the opposition is a reduction of medical/surgical beds and intensive care unit beds.

Last month, OSF asked the city to approve a resolution on a revised plan, pitched in June, to add eight medical/surgical beds to the proposed new hospital in Ottawa and a second procedure room, bringing the total of medical/surgical beds to 20 in the newly constructed facility. The revised plan would be an additional investment of about $14 million into the community, on top of the $139 million detailed in the initial plan, OSF said in the release.

Citizens for Healthcare in Ottawa IL posted a statement on its Facebook page indicating members were “happy” with the deferral.

“Among other things, we hope these discussions will lead to additional inpatient beds, enhanced security staffing plans and an EMS/transportation solution that reduces service bottlenecks and wait times for beds,” the group said. “Our group will do our best to keep everyone updated on how you can continue to stay involved, and use your voice to share your concerns for the current plans OSF has for our region.”

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