OSF HealthCare restores health care in Peru, Illinois

Peru8

More than a year after it closed, Peru, Illinois, has its hospital back.

OSF HealthCare Saint Elizabeth Medical Center – Peru opened its doors to the public on Sunday, April 7.

“It's definitely been an adventure,” says Dawn Trompeter, president of OSF Saint Elizabeth Medical Center. “It’s been an evolution and a lot of hard work by many people.”

The Peru hospital, which is the second campus of OSF Saint Elizabeth in Ottawa, is opening in phases. Phase 1 is completed and includes a full emergency department and two inpatient medical beds, as well as ancillary services that support the emergency department and inpatient beds including diagnostic imaging, laboratory, dietitian, pharmacy, EKG and respiratory.

The second phase, which will take place later this year, will include opening 12 inpatient beds as well as outpatient services.

The new hospital reflects a shift in health care where there is more of an emphasis on outpatient services.

“There has been an evolution of change from inpatient to outpatient services over the years, thanks to the advancement of medicine,” says Trompeter. “The key is to get the emergency department, our physician offices and clinics up and running, both in primary care and specialty, and then have those robust outpatient services as well as hospital inpatient services available here in the Illinois Valley.”

OSF HealthCare acquired the former Midtown Plaza complex, Midtown Clinic and Granville Clinic in June. Those sites opened last July and included OSF PromptCare, OSF Medical Group – Primary Care locations, OSF Occupational Health and OSF Rehabilitation.

Other new primary care locations opened in Spring Valley and Ogelsby, along with OSF Medical Group – Obstetrics & Gynecology in Peru. OSF HealthCare hired more than 450 former employees, physicians and advanced medical providers of St. Margaret’s Health to staff the hospital and other locations. 

OSF HealthCare closed on the purchase of the hospital less than five months ago, and Mission Partners (employees) got busy getting the hospital ready to open. Hundreds of Mission Partners were involved in cleaning, repairing and upgrading systems to get the Peru campus up and running.

Trompeter says the response from the Peru community has been overwhelming.

“Everyone has been so supportive, regardless of when we run into them or where we run into them,” she says. “They are very grateful and supportive of the work, for OSF coming in and opening these services back up. We're appreciative of all their support.”

Trompeter adds that as the rural health care landscape has changed across the country, OSF HealthCare has been very intentional in its planning for the future. That includes the announcement that OSF HealthCare plans to build a new OSF Saint Elizabeth hospital across the street from the current campus in Ottawa, Illinois. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.

“We are creating a sustainable health care system for years to come,” she says. “As other rural hospitals and services are closing across the nation, we feel strongly about being here to continue to serve these communities.”