Can't believe no one is talking about the mayor being appointed to the osf administrative board.
That article tells me he and city manager had a hand in closing down st Mary's.
Why would osf appoint our mayor to the board,that tried stopping osf from buying our Hospital .
People should be outraged at our city government to vote these people out of office
That have no interest of the people's safety
OSF has brought on board two prominent Streator residents who opposed the local hospital's closure earlier this year.
The Peoria-based hospital chain announced on Tuesday that Mayor Jimmie Lansford and Dr. Caner Celeboglu were joining the board of OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Ottawa, which oversees OSF's health care operations in Streator.
On Jan. 4, Springfield-based HSHS closed St. Mary's Hospital after 128 years. A few hours later, OSF took over the hospital building and converted it into an outpatient center with a 24-hour emergency room, calling it the OSF Center for Health-Streator. OSF plans to move its center into a new building somewhere else in town in two to three years.
At a September news conference, the two chains revealed their plans to transition health-care services, prompting opposition from many residents.
The city, which received word of the possible transfer months before, had already submitted a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, which regulates business mergers. With the proposed acquisition, the city warned, OSF would have "near-monopoly" control of health care within a 75-mile radius of Streator.
OSF officials said they understood the community's feelings, but promised Streator would be on the cutting edge of health care in rural America, citing the increased reliance on outpatient treatments.
Lansford couldn't be reached for comment Tuesday, but a news release from OSF described him as being "in hopeful anticipation of the new model of care proposed for his citizens."
"Health care is changing," Lansford said in the release. "It remains to be seen if Streator will be on the cutting edge of new technology and services in rural America."
Lansford worked at the former St. Mary's for 32 years, the last nine as its administrator, retiring in 1996.
In a December interview, Lansford said he was as shocked and angered as anyone about the hospital's closure. But he said the community had no choice but to work with OSF.
"They're the ones taking over the assets," the mayor said.
Celeboglu is a surgeon who has been practicing in Streator since 1978. He maintains a full-time office in Streator and travels to Ottawa twice a week to perform procedures at St. Elizabeth, according to the news release.
In addition to St. Elizabeth's board. Celeboglu also holds a seat on the Streator Steering Committee, which OSF described as a mix of community leaders and OSF officials who are "collaborating to shape the future of health care in the city." Lansford also serves on the committee.
"I have a longstanding commitment to Streator, and the community knows me," Celeboglu said in the release. "I was very involved in helping to develop new services when HSHS was here."
In October, the two hospital chains hosted a public forum on the transition. The meeting started quietly, but that changed after Celeboglu, who asked to speak, was introduced by HSHS' chief executive as a "respected surgeon."
Celeboglu fired off his criticism of HSHS, the former owners.
"The community is terribly hurt by HSHS," he said. "The doctors who have been here 30 years have never been consulted. You keep saying inpatients are going down. It's going down in the whole country. Everyone will have their hospital except us. I wish HSHS would transfer this as a functioning hospital. I think this place was mismanaged for 10 years."
After he spoke, others criticized HSHS and the proposed transition.
Lansford and Celeboglu joined 11 others on the St. Elizabeth board.
Who belongs
OSF officials on the St. Elizabeth Medical Center board:
Dr. David Gorenz, regional CEO for I-80 region of OSF HealthCare
Dr. Charles Dennis, regional vice president of OSF Medical Group
Dr. Gerald McShane, CEO of OSF Medical Group
Dr. Steven Hippler, chief clinical officer for OSF HealthCare
Sister Diane Marie McGrew, president and treasurer of OSF HealthCare
Sister Agnes Joseph Williams, OSF HealthCare board member
James Moore, former CEO of OSF HealthCare
Local leaders on board:
George Shanley, Coldwell Banker Honig-Bell
Christina Cantlin, Cantlin Law Firm
Dr. Jeffrey Crowhurst, Crowhurst Foot Care
Steven Gonzalo, First National Bank of Ottawa
Jimmie Lansford, Streator mayor
Dr. Caner Celeboglu, Streator surgeon