<![CDATA[OSF HealthCare Newsroom]]> https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/ en-us Wed, 09 Sep 2026 15:27:02 +0200 Fri, 03 Jul 2026 15:23:17 +0200 <![CDATA[OSF HealthCare Newsroom]]> https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1873.png https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/ 144 OSF ready to open OB and ICU services in Peru https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/osf-ready-to-open-ob-and-icu-services-in-peru/ https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/osf-ready-to-open-ob-and-icu-services-in-peru/730289OSF HealthCare is an integrated health system founded by The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis. Headquartered in Peoria, Illinois, OSF has 17 hospitals – 11 acute care, five critical access and one continuing care – with 2,305 licensed beds throughout Illinois and Michigan. OSF employs over 27,000 Mission Partners across more than 170 locations. These include OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois, the third largest pediatric hospital in the state, and OSF OnCall, its digital health operating entity that offers hospital-at-home care. Advances in health care transformation take place through OSF Innovation as well as OSF Ventures, which provides investment capital for promising health care innovation startups. In addition, OSF operates two colleges of nursing; OSF Home Care Services, an extensive network of home health and hospice services; Pointcore, Inc., which is composed of health care-related businesses; and OSF HealthCare Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the organization. OSF HealthCare has been recognized by Fortune as one of the most innovative companies in the country and by Forbes as one of America’s Best Employers for Healthcare Professionals. Learn more at osfhealthcare.org. 

]]>As a commitment to building a sustainable regional model, OSF HealthCare will transition inpatient obstetrics (OB) and intensive care unit (ICU) services from Ottawa to Peru, on Wednesday, December 3, 2025. The move was approved by the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board.

Starting at 7 a.m., on December 3, all new labor patients will be directed to OSF HealthCare Saint Elizabeth Medical Center — Peru. In addition, OSF HealthCare will continue to provide outpatient OB and pediatric care at clinic locations throughout the I-80 region.

Emergency Departments (ED) in Streator, Peru, Ottawa, Mendota and Princeton remain fully equipped to care for all patients, including those requiring emergent OB and pediatric services. The ED is a comprehensive, patient‑focused hub, combining advanced technology, specialized expertise, and compassionate care to meet urgent health needs in any location at any time.

As part of this transition, OSF HealthCare will implement intermediate care beds in Ottawa. Intermediate care offers continuous monitoring, skilled nursing and enhanced clinical oversight, which benefits patients recovering from illness, surgery, or other conditions that require more than standard inpatient care.

In case of an emergency, please call 9-1-1 or proceed to the nearest Emergency Department. For any inquiries, contact your provider through OSF MyChart, or call the OSF Medical Group office at (815) 431-0435, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

]]> Tue, 02 Dec 2025 11:46:49 -0600 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/500_osfhealthcarelogonewstacked2017.jpg?63889 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/osfhealthcarelogonewstacked2017.jpg?63889 OSF to transition services following state approval https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/osf-to-transition-services-following-state-approval/ https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/osf-to-transition-services-following-state-approval/729335OSF HealthCare is an integrated health system founded by The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis. Headquartered in Peoria, Illinois, OSF has 17 hospitals – 11 acute care, five critical access and one continuing care – with 2,305 licensed beds throughout Illinois and Michigan. OSF employs over 27,000 Mission Partners across more than 170 locations. These include OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois, the third largest pediatric hospital in the state, and OSF OnCall, its digital health operating entity that offers hospital-at-home care. Advances in health care transformation take place through OSF Innovation as well as OSF Ventures, which provides investment capital for promising health care innovation startups. In addition, OSF operates two colleges of nursing; OSF Home Care Services, an extensive network of home health and hospice services; Pointcore, Inc., which is composed of health care-related businesses; and OSF HealthCare Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the organization. OSF HealthCare has been recognized by Fortune as one of the most innovative companies in the country and by Forbes as one of America’s Best Employers for Healthcare Professionals. Learn more at osfhealthcare.org. 

]]>OSF HealthCare announced today that, following approval from the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board, it will move forward with transitioning inpatient obstetrics and intensive care unit (ICU) services from Ottawa to Peru. The transition is scheduled to be completed on December 3, 2025.

This decision reflects OSF HealthCare’s commitment to building a stronger, more sustainable regional care model. Consolidating these inpatient services in Peru will create a more centralized hub for advanced care, ensuring patients across the region have access to robust services and expanded capabilities.

As part of this transition, OSF HealthCare will implement intermediate care beds in Ottawa. Intermediate care offers continuous monitoring, skilled nursing, and enhanced clinical oversight, which benefits patients recovering from illness, surgery, or other conditions that require more than standard inpatient care. Implementing these beds in Ottawa ensures the community continues to receive high-quality, appropriate hospital services locally.

By strengthening inpatient care in a single regional location, OSF will be better positioned to attract and retain top clinical talent, including obstetric providers, intensivists, and specialized nurses. A unified, higher-volume environment also enhances quality, improves collaboration, and supports continued investments in technology and patient experience.

“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 Region CEO. “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.”

“We are grateful for the collaboration and dedication of our Mission Partners and regional partners,” said Trompeter.

OSF HealthCare will be communicating directly with current OB patients and our EMS community partners throughout this process.

]]> Fri, 21 Nov 2025 10:20:17 -0600 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/500_osfhealthcarelogonewstacked2017.jpg?63889 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/osfhealthcarelogonewstacked2017.jpg?63889 Illinois Board approves OSF HealthCare plan https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/illinois-board-approves-osf-healthcare-plan/ https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/illinois-board-approves-osf-healthcare-plan/729063OSF HealthCare is an integrated health system founded by The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis. Headquartered in Peoria, Illinois, OSF has 17 hospitals – 11 acute care, five critical access and one continuing care – with 2,305 licensed beds throughout Illinois and Michigan. OSF employs over 27,000 Mission Partners across more than 170 locations. These include OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois, the third largest pediatric hospital in the state, and OSF OnCall, its digital health operating entity that offers hospital-at-home care. Advances in health care transformation take place through OSF Innovation as well as OSF Ventures, which provides investment capital for promising health care innovation startups. In addition, OSF operates two colleges of nursing; OSF Home Care Services, an extensive network of home health and hospice services; Pointcore, Inc., which is composed of health care-related businesses; and OSF HealthCare Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the organization. OSF HealthCare has been recognized by Fortune as one of the most innovative companies in the country and by Forbes as one of America’s Best Employers for Healthcare Professionals. Learn more at osfhealthcare.org. 

]]>The Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board (HFSRB) has approved OSF HealthCare’s Certificate of Need (CON) application to consolidate inpatient obstetrics and intensive care unit (ICU) services from OSF Saint Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa to OSF Saint Elizabeth – Peru.

This decision enables OSF HealthCare to Shape Tomorrow’s Health by strengthening its regional model of care, ensuring patients in north central Illinois continue to have access to safe, high-quality, and sustainable health services both locally and regionally.

“We are grateful to the Review Board for its thoughtful consideration and support of our plan, and to the many clinicians, community members, and partners who have voiced encouragement for this important step forward,” said Bob Sehring, CEO, OSF HealthCare. “This decision allows us to build on our commitment to providing exceptional care with the right expertise and resources in the best setting for our patients.”

Centralizing inpatient OB and ICU services at OSF Saint Elizabeth in Peru adds comprehensive, enhanced critical care which will allow more patients to receive services closer to home.

The plan also includes expanded mobile, virtual, and telehealth services, which will help maintain continuity of care across communities and ensure that patients—especially those who are vulnerable or underserved—can easily connect to the expertise they need. The OB program allows for care throughout a women’s pregnancy journey including support with caring for their newborn.

“This regional approach is about long-term sustainability, quality, and access,” said Sehring. “It allows our teams to work collaboratively across locations, supporting better outcomes, stronger recruitment and retention of specialists, and the stability our communities deserve.”

The changes align with OSF HealthCare’s Mission to serve with the greatest care and love. Implementation of the approved plan will take place over the coming months with ongoing communication to patients, providers, and the community. Additionally, both OSF HealthCare and the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board discussed opportunities to continue to engage with residents of Eastern LaSalle County.

For more information about OSF HealthCare and its regional care model, visit www.osfhealthcare.org.

]]> Wed, 19 Nov 2025 10:43:23 -0600 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/500_osfhealthcarelogonewstacked2017.jpg?63889 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/osfhealthcarelogonewstacked2017.jpg?63889 A kidney treatment lifeline https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/a-kidney-treatment-lifeline/ https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/a-kidney-treatment-lifeline/589905Key takeaways:

  • Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is a form of dialysis for critically ill kidney failure patients.
  • The slow, continuous filtration compensates for the person not being able to handle regular dialysis.
  • A person will be on CRRT until they show signs they can tolerate normal dialysis. Signs include producing urine and a more stable blood pressure.
]]>Continuous renal replacement therapy is a kidney failure treatment for critically ill patients.

]]>

Managing kidney failure is a huge task. But doing so while in a hospital critical care unit makes things even more challenging.

Luckily, a lifeline exists in the form of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), a form of dialysis. Normally, dialysis is an outpatient procedure where a machine does what healthy kidneys normally do – remove fluid and waste from your blood. But sometimes critically ill people are in a hospital bed, and their bodies can’t tolerate the stress of normal dialysis.

That’s where CRRT steps in.

“It’s a very slow filtration of the kidneys while they’re in this acute state. Their body may not be able to compensate for that shifting or removal of the toxins and fluids,” says Keely Nelson, OSF critical care nurse manager.

“It’s supposed to act most like what your kidneys are doing all day, every day,” says April Collins, OSF intensive care unit charge nurse. “Compared to [normal dialysis] three times a week with an aggressive pull of toxins.”

“We run it 24/7, generally five to seven days at a time,” says Leah Hawk, OSF critical care educator.

Nelson, Collins and Hawk have overseen the recent implementation of CRRT at OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center in Alton, Illinois.

Someone, generally, would be on CRRT until their condition improves and they can tolerate normal dialysis. Signs providers watch for include producing urine, better blood pressure readings and changing lab values that indicate better kidney function.

“[CRRT] is extremely critical,” for patients, Nelson says.

“During COVID, the patients were so incredibly sick and could not handle aggressive dialysis in the hospital. If we were able to provide [CRRT] during COVID, that would have helped a lot of patients to slowly remove those fluids while providers are hydrating them and giving them medications.”

Nelson adds that CRRT was already becoming more common at hospitals in the past five years, but the pandemic accelerated things. The concept itself is around 40 years old, she says.

Learn more about kidney care on the OSF HealthCare website.

Interview clips - Keely Nelson

Interview clip - April Collins

Related stories

No distance too large for the gift of life
“They are very special people”

]]> Mon, 11 Sep 2023 09:43:00 -0500 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/fa15efe6-df74-46f4-885e-f8c85c161c80/500_kidneys.jpg?10000 https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/fa15efe6-df74-46f4-885e-f8c85c161c80/kidneys.jpg?10000