OSF accelerates plan to shift OB, ICU services from Ottawa to Peru by next month

Shaw Local

OSF HealthCare will move its inpatient obstetrics and intensive care services from Ottawa to Peru by Dec. 3.

The change was approved by the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board this week. OSF leaders said that moving these units to Peru under one roof will improve patient care, help staff work more closely together, and make it easier to hire specialists going forward.

To keep hospital services available in Ottawa, OSF will add intermediate care beds at Saint Elizabeth.

Ottawa Mayor Robb Hasty speaks to the Illinois Department of Public Health state board Tuesday in Bolingbrook, joined by State Rep. Amy “Murri” Briel and Citizens for Healthcare in Ottawa member Colleen Burns, as they urged reconsideration of OSF’s consolidation plan. — Ottawa Mayor Robb Hasty speaks to the Illinois Department of Public Health state board Tuesday in Bolingbrook, joined by state Rep. Amy “Murri” Briel and Citizens for Healthcare in Ottawa member Colleen Burns, as they urge reconsideration of OSF’s consolidation plan. (Bill Freskos)

“Our focus is on ensuring the long-term strength, stability and excellence of care for the entire region,” said Dawn Trompeter, president of OSF HealthCare Saint Elizabeth Medical Center and associate regional CEO for OSF HealthCare. “This regional model allows us to deliver more coordinated, high-quality inpatient services while supporting the recruitment of providers who want to practice in a strong, centralized clinical setting.”

OSF said it will communicate directly with current OB patients and emergency medical services partners as the transition moves forward.