Letter: Scrutinize OSF’s plans for KSB Hospital

To the mayor, City Council and citizens of Dixon and Lee County: Please read carefully the proposal from OSF to take over KSB Hospital in Dixon. The city of Ottawa has just formally rejected OSF’s proposal to build a new hospital in Ottawa because of the elimination of beds and services that they agreed to in 2012 when OSF was given the Community Hospital of Ottawa for free plus all assets.

A quick search on Shaw Media, Illinois Valley, The Times of Ottawa, will provide lots of details from the City of Ottawa council members’ remarks and the public with their rejection of how OSF is trying to push against the wishes of the city and public and eliminate crucial services, like zero beds/care for ICU and obstetrics.

There is also a “grassroots” group that is updating the information at https://saveottawahealthcare.com/.

OSF did the same thing to Streator’s hospital and they now have zero patient beds and have made it a glorified urgent care. The dangerous drive from rural Ottawa (Marseilles, Seneca, Serena, Leanore, etc.) to Peru as proposed for emergency care could be deadly in the winter due to weather and travel times. Also taking ambulances out of service in Ottawa and the area, while transporting patients to the now-owned by OSF Peru Hospital could result in loss of life. (OSF waited until Peru Hospital was closed before taking over to get the deal they wanted).

If Dixon’s KSB has other medical services interested as was recently mentioned in a letter to the editor it would be wise to look at those proposals closely. OSF is trying to create a monopoly of health services from Rockford to Peoria which will let them charge whatever they want without any optional medical care services competition.

OSF is calling Ottawa rural healthcare the I-80 corridor, when in fact it appears they intend to be the I-39 corridor. I was born and raised in Ottawa, and currently live in Streator. I lived in Dixon for over 20 years from 1971 and was a patient once at KSB and am thankful for the great medical care I received. I hope that any proposals are scrutinized with a magnifying glass to look out for loopholes.

Larry Thomas

Streator