Peoria, Ill.-based OSF HealthCare will consolidate ICU and inpatient obstetrics services from Ottawa, Ill., to its Peru, Ill., hospital, pending state approval, according to an Oct. 17 news release shared with Becker’s.
Over the last few months, the system has received input on the plan from community members, local officials and advocacy groups, and has offered to maintain Ottawa ICU services. However, the offer was rejected by the city of Ottawa and a group calling itself Citizens for Healthcare in Ottawa “who presented additional demands that were not clinically appropriate or operationally feasible,” the release said.
OSF’s new regional model aims to address national issues like an increase in OB deserts, difficulties recruiting physicians, reduced numbers of specialty providers and population decreases in regions the system serves.
OB providers will have offices in every region the system serves and a mobile OB unit will travel to patients. The care model will also provide a 24-hour mom-and-baby phone line for new and expecting mothers and a new virtual labor and delivery monitoring service to enhance Peru’s inpatient OB unit.
“OSF HealthCare is continuing to proceed with the previously approved plan to modernize regional care delivery through a right-sized, centrally located advanced hospital in Peru, supported by emergency, outpatient, and specialty services throughout the region, the release said.
“Pending [state] approval, the current hospital in Ottawa will continue to deliver health care services, including a full-service emergency department, an inpatient unit, behavioral health services, outpatient services, advanced imaging services and many specialty clinics. Innovative services such as telehealth specialty services, remote monitoring and mobile health will be part of the OSF HealthCare regional model of care for the entire breadth of these counties.”
