Chicago Heights hospital closure shines light on changes to regulation
Their pleas, though, will have no bearing on the board's decision.
The board's discretion was eliminated in July when Gov.
Hospitals and other health care providers still have to notify the state board of plans to either close a facility or discontinue a service -- but that's all they have to do. In other words, a privately owned hospital's decision to close is a fait accompli so long as it files the proper paperwork. It's a significant loss of the planning board's power to determine whether a shutdown is in the best interests of the affected community.
The
"With so many rapid changes in health care, this law streamlines the process," Chun said. "Hospitals are redesigning their facilities and services to make sure people get the care they need in the most cost-appropriate setting."
But advocates of health care planning rules, known as "certificate of need" laws, worry that watering down
"The whole idea behind community health planning is that the community deserves to have a voice in what goes on," said
The timing of the regulatory change has become an issue in
Even though Franciscan St. James proposes to close the
The proposal includes enlarging the emergency room and adding 56 beds to the 158-bed hospital. The planned construction includes maternity and rehabilitation departments, which currently are available only in
Still, the project has caused a public outcry because the
Franciscan St. James also proposes expanding outpatient services in
The closing of the hospital, announced in October, caught local government leaders off guard. Four months earlier, Franciscan St. James disclosed a strategic plan that included reducing inpatient services but keeping emergency services, rehabilitation and hospice care at the
Kimmel said in the
Kimmel denied that. In the end, the health system decided it was better to strengthen one hospital than continue to operate two struggling facilities, he said.
"We went through our own internal process of evaluation," Kimmel said. "If the legislation had not passed, we still would have proposed the same thing."
Since 1974, any major health care construction project, including nursing homes and dialysis centers, and the purchase of new high-tech equipment has required the approval of the state health planning board. The closing of a hospital or the elimination of a service, such as pediatrics, also was subject to review to ensure those actions would not hurt health care for residents in the facility's market area.
More than 60 hospitals have closed in
Under the revised law that took effect in July, closing a privately owned facility is exempt from the permitting process. As long as the hospital files the proper paperwork, the nine-member board has no option but to grant the request.
The two lawmakers who represent
DeLuca, a former mayor of
Franciscan St. James is the second health system to inform the state of its intentions to close a hospital since the regulations were changed. The first was
The regulations still require the state planning board to hold a public hearing on an application to close if one is requested.
"I believe in the democratic process," he said. "I believe the public should have an impact."
Steen, of the health planning association, said that if the public doesn't have the power to influence the decision to close a hospital, the public hearing is just a "sham."
Chun disagrees, saying the hearings are an opportunity for hospital officials to hear any public concerns.
Franciscan St. James filed two applications last month: one to close the
The board is expected to consider Franciscan
Without the
"You're tying the hands of the health planning board," Gonzalez said. "That is flawed."
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