Emotions Run High At Oak Forest Hospital Hearing

Traci Knapp moved to Oak Forest three years ago to take advantage of the services at Oak Forest Hospital of Cook County.

A 2005 accident resulted in surgeries on her neck, spine and back and subsequent medical care.

"If it weren't for this hospital, I wouldn't get my prescriptions, wouldn't be able to see the doctors that are there," Knapp, 38, said. "This hospital means a lot to me."

That is why Knapp, moving herself along with the aid of her walker, attended a public hearing Thursday, Jan. 20, to discuss proposed changes at the hospital that would eliminate emergency and inpatient services. The hospital would focus only on primary care and outpatient services.

The hearing, conducted by the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board, lasted more than two hours at .

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, officials conducted a needs assessment, held more than 14 town hall meetings that attracted over 1,000 people and interviewed various providers, community groups and stakeholders, Foley added.

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 current 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."

'How are we going to get to Stroger?'

If Oak Forest Hospital eliminates its inpatient services, the nearest facility for residents to go to would be Stroger Hospital, some 25 miles away.

Dozens of others attended to deliver emotional testimony about how Oak Forest has benefited them, with variations of the same theme: how would patients — many with no transportation — get to Stroger Hospital for treatment?

"It costs me $8 just to go to Stroger, there and back," Traci Knapp said. "I can't afford it."

Residents also expressed concern about the amount of time spent on public transit. "Took me four hours and 27 minutes," Bonnie Blue declared — and the expense of an ambulance.

Blue, who filed the application for the public hearing, said she is skeptical about hospital official's claims that other facilities will be available for the many uninsured patients that Oak Forest accepts.

"So then what happens?" She asked during her testimony. "You're shot."

Lee Mayberry, a Lansing resident whose wife is a current patient at Oak Forest, said he is frustrated and doesn't have much faith the public hearing will make a difference to the health review board.

"I think this is more of a formality," he said. "I think that the board has already made up its mind of what it is going to do."

"They don't care about the people!" Someone shouted during Mayberry's remarks.

 'Far from over'

However, the issue is far from resolved, said John Gaudette, organizing director for Citizen Action Illinois, a group contacted by residents opposing the changes.

"People are scared, so we got involved from that standpoint," Gaudette said, adding the group is also involved with hospital employee unions. "They're frustrated, angry, concerned ... a lot of dealing with parents with hardships or kids."

Gaudette said he believes the system's financial woes causes officials to "just pick where they could cut" but there are many decisions to be made.

"All they've done is approve the concept of a plan," he said. "They still have approve the budget, they still have to approve the plan itself, which doesn't exist. So, this is far from over."

The original article listed Mayberry as an Oak Forest resident. He lives in Lansing.