Citizens for Healthcare in Ottawa, IL

03/31/2026

House Bill 4461 passed the Judiciary Civil Committee, bringing us one step closer to ensuring that patients’ homes and properties are protected from hospital legal action. No one in Illinois should be scared to lose their homes because of medical bills.

I’m fighting the problem at the source with a series of bills to tackle hospital transparency. This is just the start!

12/21/2025

FACTS matter. There is misinformation circulating on Facebook about the future of healthcare in Ottawa. We want to clarify the facts based on official records and OSF’s own statements:

OSF didn’t “walk away.”
OSF withdrew the permit application from the state review board.
Their rationale:
“We need to take a fresh and thoughtful look at the services needed in the region, what size and type of facility will best support patients, and how we can ensure long-term sustainability.”
OSF’s full statement:
https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/osf-withdraws-ottawa-replacement-hospital-permit/

No legislator “cancelled” a hospital.
Representative Amy Murri Briel is doing what she was elected to do. She is the only elected state representative to raise concerns about patient safety, timely access to quality care, and community impact throughout the region.
We are grateful for her support.
Keep in mind:
•Opposing the elimination of ICU and OB services is NOT opposing healthcare.
•Holding healthcare systems accountable IS part of the public process.

When reading posts online, assess the source. Does the claim seem outlandish?
Any official sources included?
•OSF posts all of their official statements here: https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org
•Illinois Health Facilities, and Services Review Board: https://hfsrb.illinois.gov
•Community Updates: https://saveottawahealthcare.com

12/05/2025

This story was sent to us by a nurse and is a VERY powerful and relevant read.

It didn’t matter that OSF Saint Elizabeth Medical Center had an award winning OB unit and award winning pulmonary care… the decision was made to close the ICU and OB units anyways.

OSF HealthCare we had a full service hospital in our community for more than a century and you are dismantling it in favor of corporate profits. Shame on this system’s leaders who allowed this to happen.

https://substack.com/inbox/post/180761468?r=6hvn04&utm_medium=ios&brid=dXlk3ITLFJzP6TxeJ9S1EA&triedRedirect=true&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQKNjYyODU2ODM3OQABHgAbENiPjEXbsfcZCw63WgRkfy0g1tqNO1ZfEvvTgsxeX8aDmbRVXMmYzCco_aem_OxEp6bnwjEyfHcXfMquxeQ

Written by: Nicole Moore BSN, RN & Author

12/04/2025

OSF HealthCare’s application to the IL Health Facilities and Services Review Board stated that the transition to close both the ICU and OB units in Ottawa would be completed in March 2026. But based on press releases shared on November 21 and December 2 (shown below), those changes apparently took place today - December 3, 2025 - nearly 4 months sooner than stated.

I see no communication attempted on the OSF Saint Elizabeth Medical Center or OSF HealthCare - Illinois Valley face book pages alerting the public to this date, so we are clearly concerned with OSF’s ongoing lack of communication to the public! Hopefully everyone who’s pregnant across the 3-county region (LaSalle, Bureau & Putnam) is aware that babies are no longer being delivered in Ottawa.

We are very interested to know how these changes pan out over time. Having personal stories from patients, caregivers and staff will help us keep a pulse on the impact of these closures. Please send messages anytime you have a story to share - staff members who want to remain anonymous can text me personally at 815-252-7096 (Colleen).

12/02/2025

Join us on 1430 WCMY at 9:35!

11/26/2025

If you have been (or will be) impacted by the closure of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Ottawa and are willing to share your story publicly, please send a message and we will be in touch. Thank you!

11/19/2025

It’s been a rough night and morning accepting that OSF was granted approval to close OB and ICU units at Ottawa’s hospital. They needed 6 affirmative votes and the board voted in favor 6-3… yes we lost this fight by one vote.

More to come on next steps (and probably more tears), but for now - thank you. Thank you to everyone who has stepped up and played a role in trying to keep the services in Ottawa that have been here for over 100 years. It’s been an effort worth fighting for, despite this tragic outcome.

11/15/2025

Congrats to OSF Saint Elizabeth Medical Center's OB Unit for ranking TOP 10 IN THE NATION for the lowest rates of birth complications!

OSF HealthCare - please explain why you want to close this incredible unit?! We are all ears!

# #

10 hospitals with the highest, lowest rates of birth complications in the Nation
By: Mariah Taylor
Tuesday, November 4th, 2025

CMS’ Maternal Health-Hospital database collected data on measures such as exclusive breast feeding, serious birth complications, cesarean births, and participation in a state or national perinatal quality improvement collaborative initiative. The data, which was last updated Aug. 14, is intended to drive improvements to maternal health.

As part of the dataset, CMS determined the rate of any serious complications for mothers during delivery, per 10,000 deliveries, in 2023.

Here are the hospitals with the highest and lowest rates:

Lowest

St. Joseph Medical Center (Bloomington, Ill.): 39

St. Cloud (Minn.) Hospital: 40

Baptist Health Louisville (Ky.): 42

Memorial Hospital of Carbondale (Ill.): 44

Self Regional Healthcare (Greenwood, S.C.): 45

St. Mary Medical Center (Galesburg, Ill.): 47

**OSF Saint Elizabeth Medical Center (Ottawa, Ill.): 47**

Jefferson Hospital (Jefferson Hills, Pa.): 47

Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas (Rogers): 48

Mercy Hospital Ardmore (Okla.): 54

Explore hospitals highest lowest rates of birth complications in 2023, with CMS data highlighting top performers like St. Joseph Medical Center.

11/15/2025

If you are planning to speak at the meeting on November 18, please make sure you have completed the form linked below and sent it in by Monday morning (they ask for 1 day advance notice). When clicking on the link, it will download a blank copy of the public participation form.

Speakers should also remember to keep remarks to 2 minutes (this is a strict time limit); and if you are able, please bring 2 copies of your remarks to the meeting.

Comment with any questions!

11/10/2025

Orders due by midnight tonight, Monday November 10!

Pick up is downtown Ottawa at Fresh Prints this Friday, November 14th.