For-U-Mail

Dear Editor:

SSM Health Care is in the process of closing St. Francis Hospital in Blue Island because, in their words, the facility is losing money. However, according to Kris Zimmer, the company's senior vice president of finance, the company has cash reserves of about 1.3 billion dollars. Surely some of that pot of gold could help one of their oldest hospitals to survive, especially one that serves the needy. Ironically, Zimmer told the editorial board of the Southtownstar newspaper, "We don't believe there is any way of salvaging it", followed by, "We are profitable, and we are strong financially".

Mr. Zimmer also states that SSM Health Care has other money-losing hospitals, but there are plans in place to make them financially healthy. Why then, is there NO PLAN for St. Francis Hospital in Blue Island ?

There is a plan, and plenty of money, for the recently completed "state of the art" expansion of St. Mary's Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin as well as the new 200 million dollar St. Mary's Health Center being built in Jefferson City, Missouri. Why then, is there NO MONEY for St. Francis Hospital in Blue Island ?

Perhaps it is a case of St. Francis Hospital being located in the wrong zip code. The one where all those poor, uninsured people who are unable to pay their hospital bills live. Yet on their website it says "SSM Health Care exists to care for the people of communities regardless of their ability to pay".

The reason that SSM exists at all is because back in 1872, Mother Mary Odilia Berger, along with four other sisters, journeyed from Germany to St. Louis to be "of service to people in need". The SSM website states, "In their early ledgers, the sisters listed patients who could not pay for their care as "our Dear Lord's" What do the sisters of St Mary refer to those people as today? The forgotten? The abandoned? Someone else's problem?

Robert J. Adams

Dear Editor:

In response to the closing of St. Francis Hospital, attached is a letter I've sent to all of our Congressman, Senators and Reps.

I thought it might be a topic the FORUM will highlight in it's next issue and encourage people to speak out.

April 4, 2008 Dear Elected Official,

I would like to start by saying St. Francis Hospital has served the healthcare needs of the residents in Blue Island and its surrounding communities for 103 years. Throughout those years, many south suburban area residents have received exceptional healthcare from the hospital and its employees. From senior citizens, heart patients to expecting mothers, people have relied on St. Francis Hospital for 103 years and will continue to do so, until its doors close.

As you are aware, SSM Health Care owns St. Francis Hospital which is one of 20 Hospitals in its network nationwide. SSM Health Care is also a non-for-profit organization. In 2006, SSM had revenues of $2.5 billion and an operating income of $7.32 million, which currently has $1.3 billion in the bank and a healthy credit rating, "We are profitable, and strong financially," as stated by Mr. Kris Zimmer, SSM's Chief Financial Officer. I agree with Mr. Zimmer, SSM is profitable and strong and would continue to be even if they chose not to close St. Francis Hospital. With those kinds of assets, I believe that SSM Health Care would be able to offset St. Francis Hospital's losses until a buyer is able to be found, they just chose not to, which is rather unfortunate. For so many years St. Francis Hospital has been profitable for SSM.

Sr. Mary Jean Ryan, FSM, President/CEO, SSM Health Care states on the hospitals web site, "the hospital is currently losing about $1.5 million dollars per month, and we expect it to lose even more in the future. If there was some hope that things would turn around - even a glimmer of hope - we would not have made this decision." I believe that statement to be false. If you look around throughout Blue Island and the entire south suburban region, economic improvements and area growth are flourishing, which will eventually have a positive economic impact on the hospital. In Blue Island alone, the development of Faye's Point and the redevelopment of Blue Island's Central Business District are underway. I would say this is more than "even a glimmer of hope" as Sr. Mary Jean Ryan Stated. This information is available on the city of Blue Island's website at blueisland.org.

If the state of Illinois allows SSM Health Care to pull their Certificate of Need for St Francis Hospital, it will have a negative economic impact on the city of Blue Island that will take years to recover from, including such economic effects such as, job loss, increased area foreclosures and a decline in business to area merchants because of the amount of people St. Francis Hospital draws to the area.

Additionally and possibly more importantly, the quality of health care will be tested and will decline at other area hospitals because they will be forced to take on the services and patient load from St. Francis Hospital's 410 bed facility. I and other patients will ultimately suffer and pay the price if the state allows SSM Health Care to pull St Francis Hospitals Certificate of Need.

As an elected official to speak on my behalf, I am asking you to oppose St. Francis Hospital's request to pull their Certificate of Need.

Sincerely, Hilary E. Konczal

Dear Editor:

While people are looking for a savior to rescue St Francis Hospital, I think it's very prudent that we look at why the much needed facility is losing so much money. I suspect that a lot has to do with the government slow in paying their debt for Public Welfare and Medicare services. I suspect a lot has to do with the rise in costs plus too many people not being insured. One thing we don't need is for people to make this a political football. St Francis is a very good hospital and one of the nation's best for heart care. We need to contact all of our resources to let them know we want a solution that will give us confidence that our great hospital will be open for many years to come. If you need motivation to get involved, just consider how precious time is when you have an emergency and have to travel a great distance. What will an ambulance ride cost for you to go to the nearest hospital that has room for you when your time of need arrives? With fewer hospitals around, there might be over-crowding forces your ambulance to take you many miles away.

Carl Rollberg

Dear Editor:

On April 1, 2008 I became aware that the corporate owners of St. Francis Hospital in Blue Island are going to close the hospital. Blue Island and the surrounding communities are in the heart of the industrial "Rust Belt" with all of the ills that the loss of the industrial and commercial tax base entail. These communities have a very high percentage of working poor citizens who have jobs that offer little or no medical coverage.

For several years, the Cook County public health system has been overwhelmed by growing numbers of uninsured patients who have to rely on it for medical care. It is not uncommon for patients to wait 48 hours in the emergency room of the Cook County Oak Forest Hospital in order to be seen by a doctor. There is a health care crisis that affects the lives of all citizens in south suburban Cook County.

For years, St. Francis Hospital has been flooded with the overflow of patients from the Cook County public health system. It is not a publicly funded hospital. The major reason for closing the hospital, as given me by the administration, is that more than 50% of the patients are too poor to pay their bills, and Medicaid payments do not cover the actual cost of patient treatment. The hospital is between $48,000,000 and $50,000,000 million dollars in debt because of the flood of patients from the over burdened Cook County public health system. The hospital is scheduled to close within the next 60 days.

St. Francis is ranked as one of the best heart care hospitals in the United States. It has served the people of south Chicago and south suburban Cook County for 103 years. The closure of this hospital will have a catastrophic and cascading domino effect on all communities and other hospitals in the south suburbs. Other hospitals confronted by the addition burdens brought on by the closure of St. Francis will be forced to close their doors as the crisis continues to spread.

I urge every citizen, hospital administration and governmental body in south Cook County to view the St. Francis Hospital closing as an area wide crisis. I urge the Forum Newspaper to publish mailing addresses of elected officials and meeting schedules of governing agencies so that citizens can write letters and attend meetings to influence legislators to take action on a local, state and national level. If St. Francis Hospital closes down, the consequences will be catastrophic for every citizen, and every community in south suburban Cook County.

Sadly, R.C. Young

Legislative Contact List

U.S. Senator Richard Durbin 230 S. Dearborn #3892 Chicago, IL 60604 312-353-4952

Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. 17926 S. Halsted Homewood, IL 60430 708-798-6000

State Senator Emil Jones Jr. 507 W. 111th St. Chicago, IL 60628 773-995-7748

State Senator James Meeks 2050 E. 159th St. Calumet City, IL 60409 708-862-1515

State Rep. Robert Rita 13543 Cicero Ave. Crestwood, IL 60445 708-396-2822

State Rep. Kevin C. Joyce 6965 W. 111th St. Worth, IL 60482 708-448-3518

U.S. Senator Barack Obama 230 S. Dearborn #3900 Chicago, IL 60604 312-886-3506

Congressman Bobby Rush 700 E. 79th St. Chicago, IL 60619 773-224-6500

State Senator Maggie Crotty 5119 West 159th St., Unit 1E Oak Forest, IL 60452 708-687-9696

State Senator Edward Maloney 10444 S. Western Ave. Chicago, IL 60643 773-881-4180

State Rep. Monique Davis 1234 W. 95th St. Chicago, IL 60643 773-445-9700

This letter was sent to a reader in response to her request for help.

The Blue Island community has long depended on this facility for its excellent patient care. The facility is an acute-care hospital which offers a comprehensive range of services, including medical, surgical, pediatric and obstetrical care. Yet, it has been St. Francis' partnership and 100 years of history with this community that has given it a unique capacity to care for its patients. Unfortunately, St. Francis recently announced the upcoming closure of its doors. Due to financial hardship and the inability to transfer the ownership of this facility, the hospital has reported that it is unable to remain open.

Please be aware that my staff met with SSM Health Care which owns St. Francis Hospital after we learned of its decision. My staff will continue to monitor this important development, and will look for ways to ensure that care to the Blue Island community is not compromised.

Thank you again for writing.

Sincerely, Barack Obama, United States Senator

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