OSF gets approval to operate Peru hospital

Regulatory body approves change of ownership

By CAMDEN LAZENBY clazenby@shawmedia.com and TOM COLLINS tcollins@shawmedia.com

OSF HealthCare still does not own the Peru hospital – a sale is pending –but the health care network received the OK to reopen the hospital.

Thursday, the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board approved a certificate of exemption application filed by OSF HealthCare for a change in ownership of St. Margaret’s Health-Peru, formerly Illinois Valley Community Hospital.

August Querciagrossa, CEO, Western Region, OSF HealthCare said there’s still more to do before the hospital can reopen but was happy with the decision made by the Illinois Health and Services Review Board.

“We’re extremely pleased with the outcome today, one step forward. We have a lot more steps to complete,” Querciagrossa said Thursday. “Receiving the Peru Hospital asset from St. Margaret’s is really the next step. So, actively working on that and we’ll keep the community posted.”

OSF has said the Peru location is expected to open with emergency care and other inpatient services following completion of the sale of assets from St. Margaret’s Health to OSF, and after all regulatory approvals are received and necessary on-site preparations are completed.

Mayor Ken Kolowski said he was “extremely pleased” with Thursday’s ruling.

“This is just another step in restor- ing access to health care, not only for Peru, but for the entire Illinois Valley region,” Kolowski said. “Hopefully this ruling will speed up the process of getting healthcare up and running by late fall.”

The Peru hospital has been closed since January and the Illinois Valley as a whole has been without a nearby hospital (OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa is closest) since the Spring Valley hospital was closed in June.

State Rep. Lance Yednock, D–Ottawa, spoke before the certificate of exemption was approved, and decried the closure of two hospitals in the Illinois Valley.

“The Illinois Valley region has suffered the closure of two hospitals serving 100,000-plus residents in the span of six months,” Yednock said. “That has a left gaping hole in every aspect of healthcare for our constituents.”

Querciagrossa, ahead of Thursday’s decision, said OSF intends to reopen the facility as quickly as possible.

“We are excited to move forward