OSF HealthCare claims to serve the community, but in LaSalle County, they’ve done the opposite. The closure of St. Margaret’s Health-Peru left the region without emergency services, maternity care, or essential hospital functions. Instead, OSF replaced them with immediate care facilities—which aren’t a substitute for full-service hospitals.
This isn’t just about policy; it’s personal. My wife and I had to drive over an hour just to give birth because the nearest labor & delivery unit was shut down. When you’re in labor, every minute matters. Imagine how many families now face dangerous delays in medical care because of these closures.
And it’s not just maternity care. I have to drive nearly two hours for spinal injections due to these reckless cuts. Seniors, children, and those needing emergency treatment are being forced to travel long distances because OSF decided it was better for their bottom line.
Let’s be clear—this wasn’t inevitable. OSF had a choice, and they chose profits over patients. While other rural hospitals across the country are fighting to stay open, OSF pulled out without providing a real solution.
We need real healthcare access in LaSalle County. We need to push back against corporate-driven healthcare decisions that harm working families, pregnant mothers, and vulnerable individuals. This fight isn’t just about me—it’s about all of us.
It’s time to demand better.
