Peoria, Ill.-based OSF HealthCare plans to discontinue intensive care and obstetrics services at its medical center in Ottawa, Ill., and transfer them to a nearby facility in Peru, Ill., according to reports from Shaw Local News Network and Starved Rock Media.
The health system will file a certificate-of-need application with the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board to close the five-bed ICU and 14-bed obstetrics unit at OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa. The closures will not take effect until August, when an eight-bed ICU and 11-bed OB unit are expected to open at OSF’s Peru location, about 20 miles away.
The state approved the expansion of ICU services last year, and the OB beds were already licensed, a spokesperson for OSF HealthCare said in a statement to Becker’s.
“We remain committed to providing high-quality care to the Ottawa community and ensuring access to necessary medical services,” the spokesperson said.
The consolidation reflects a broader trend in rural healthcare, as hospitals increasingly shift specialized services to regional hubs with more concentrated resources and staffing.
The move comes as OSF works to advance plans for a 38-bed replacement hospital in Ottawa. State regulators recently granted the health system a 12-month deferral on the proposal after community leaders raised concerns about potential reductions in ICU capacity, surgical beds and a lack of local input. OSF has said it will use the time to revise its plans and continue discussions with local officials.
