State Report: Oak Forest Hospital Should Stay Open

A new state report warns there will be a shortage in health care services for area patients if Cook County shuts down inpatient services at Oak Forest Hospital, according to a Sun-Times Media report Wednesday.

Patients and family members stated Many worried that if the hospital eliminates its inpatient services, they will be forced to travel to the nearest hospital, which could be Stroger Hospital nearly 25 miles away.

Before the county can move forward, the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board must approve the plan for cuts at the hospital. The board does not have to follow the report's recommendations, according to the Sun-Times Media report. The board is expected to vote March 21 or 22.

At the hearing in January, William Foley, CEO of Cook County's Health & Hospitals System, noted the system's hospitals—Provident, Stroger and Oak Forest—provide more than $500 million in uncompensated medical care to Cook County residents.

"Over half of our patients are self-paid patients, meaning that they do not have the ability to pay," Foley said. "So our mission of providing care to all that are in need of care is a very important part of our organization." 

He said the system's strategic planning process began in 2009. Since then, Foley said officials conducted a needs assessment, held more than 14 town hall meetings that attracted more than 1,000 people and interviewed various providers, community groups and stakeholders.

What the plan calls for is "shifting the resources" from Oak Forest Hospital "to expand outpatient services through the development of a regional center," Foley explained, in the wake of a 16 percent budget cut from Cook County.

Oak Forest, which currently costs $100 million a year to operate, averages 50 to 60 patients a day, Foley said.

The proposed changes could reportedly save the county $25 million. Expanding outpatient services and cutting the inpatient offerings will result in the hospital being able to serve "four times the number of patients that we currently see."

Bridgette Outten contributed to this report.