‘I’ve got questions’: Town hall to address proposed closure of Elk Grove hospital’s maternity ward
Elk Grove Village officials have scheduled a town hall for Ascension Illinois executives to answer questions about the proposed closure of the maternity ward at Ascension Alexian Brothers Medical Center.
The public meeting, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Sept. 4 at Belvedere Events & Banquets, was prompted by outcry from nurses, village officials and residents after the hospital announced plans to discontinue its 28-bed inpatient obstetrics department. Those services — including all baby deliveries — would be consolidated at sister hospital Saint Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates.
Since the July 1 announcement, Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson said he’s had many conversations with Ascension Illinois CEO Polly Davenport, who plans to attend the town hall meeting with other top hospital officials.
“They are going to have an opportunity to explain to this community what is happening at Alexian Brothers today and what the future of Alexian Brothers is going to look like,” Johnson said. “This is an important issue for this community. Elk Grove has partnered with Alexian Brothers for 60 years. … Obviously we’ve got some concerns. This is a chance for all of our residents to ask the questions.”
That meeting will be followed by a formal public hearing of the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board to collect comments about the proposed closure. The hearing is from 4 to 7 p.m. Sept. 16 in the Elk Grove Village board room.
The state regulatory panel’s staff will post a report of its findings Nov. 5 before the board votes to approve or deny the application Nov. 18.
Ascension executives held a community forum of their own July 19 at the Elk Grove Village Public Library. They’ve said the shift in maternity care services is part of a trend in health care to do away with the traditional community hospital model in favor of “centers of excellence.”
Johnson criticized that approach in his first public comments on the issue July 15, but now seems resigned to the fact that it may happen in his town.
“Please understand, something we were all disappointed with, but I’ve done my research: community hospitals are basically gone. They don’t exist anymore. It’s a new world,” Johnson said at a village board meeting Tuesday night. “But it doesn’t mean Alexian Brothers cannot act and work like a community hospital.”
Village officials plan to send written notices of the town hall meeting to all residents, and promote it online and on digital signage.
Johnson plans to emcee the event, which will begin with an overview by Ascension brass, then questions from village board members and the public.
“I’ve got questions, the board’s got questions — just like a lot of residents do,” Johnson said. “We’ve got to work this through, because this is an important issue for this community, and an important issue for the hospital.”