The Illinois Department of Public Health state board voted to approve OSF’s consolidation plan on Tuesday night in Bolingbrook, despite a strong effort from communities on the east side of La Salle County.

Many speakers urged the board to reconsider the plan, which will shift key services, including obstetrics and higher-level inpatient care, from OSF Saint Elizabeth Hospital in Ottawa to OSF in Peru.

City officials and residents from Ottawa, Marseilles and Streator made sure board members knew their stance on OSF’s proposal.

“From the start of this process, there has been no real discussion or negotiation with the communities impacted on this project,” State Rep. Amy “Murri” Briel said. “The participation from OSF was never about meeting the requirements. It was about checking the box.”

Ottawa Mayor Robb Hasty urged the board to delay the decision. Among many reasons, he emphasized that the region’s growing population and industrial growth were not reflected in OSF’s projections.

“We are not the same community we were ten years ago,” Hasty said. “These numbers don’t tell the full story of what is coming. Approving this now without up-to-date data puts our residents at risk.”

The board voted 6-3 in favor of the project, although many board members admitted that it wasn’t an easy choice and OSF’s work with the Ottawa community wasn’t finished.

“In my time on this board, I’ve never seen a community get behind their hospital like this,” board member Gary Kaatz said. “The regionalization plan is smart and provides better services for the area, but you have to continue working with the communities to get them excited about this.”

Echoing the general sentiment of the board members who voted yes, David Fox said that although he was impressed and moved by the public hearing, it doesn’t change the fact that rural healthcare is moving in the wrong direction.

“This is obviously an emotional issue and a very challenging situation,” Fox said. “But rural healthcare is in a challenging situation. It’s a time of transition, and I think OSF is on the right track for the long-term needs of the community as a whole.”

With the board’s approval, OSF will move forward with designating its Peru hospital as the region’s centralized hub. Obstetrics, neonatal services and many intensive-care beds will officially be shifted to the Peru campus next year, where OSF says it can consolidate staff, equipment and specialty physicians.

“We understand this is difficult for the Ottawa community,” OSF CEO Bob Sehring said to board members. “However, to provide sustainable, high-quality care - ICU and OB services need to be consolidated at a central hub.”

“It’s about building the clinical infrastructure to keep patients closer to home, attract specialists, and ensure the best outcomes across the region.”