Davis Holds Hearing On Closing Of Oak Forest Hospital

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Located at the intersection of 159th and Cicero; Oak Forest hospital is the center of a heated debate. Many South Suburban residents argue that closing the hospital is slighting the poor and the uninsured.
Located at the intersection of 159th and Cicero; Oak Forest hospital is the center of a heated debate. Many South Suburban residents argue that closing the hospital is slighting the poor and the uninsured.

by SheRico Jones

On this past Monday, State Representative Will Davis led another hearing regarding the potential closing of Oak Forest Hospital. Several panels were assembled and allowed to speak; each stating their case against the hospital closing. The panels consisted of concerned citizens, Oak Forest hospital patients and their family members as well as elected officials representing multiple congressional districts across southern Cook County.

One of the key arguments against the closing of Oak Forest Hospital is the exceptional care the facility provides. One citizen stated that she was misdiagnosed twice at other facilities and Oak Forest was the first to catch and correct the error.

If it wasnt for Oak Forest Hospital, I dont think I would physically be able to sit here today to tell you this, she said. If you take this from me, I dont know what Im going to do. My doctors there mean more to me than anything. Id rather catch three buses and go to Oak Forest than to walk 4 blocks to Ingalls.

The plan, as explained by representatives of Oak Forest Hospital, is not to close the facility but to make it an outpatient clinic.

Were not closing Oak Forest Hospital, were transforming it, Bill Foley, CEO of Cook County Health and Hospitals System said. We believe that we will be in a position to treat more people. The strategic plan is to focus on transforming our system to be more accessible to our patients by expanding outpatient services.

But many citizens argued that closing the hospital is slighting the poor and the uninsured.Others argued that the people making the decision to close Oak Forest dont live in the affected areas; therefore it does not affect them.

I think the people who are in charge are making a decision that does not affect them, Dr. Franklin Searcy of Progressive Missionary Baptist Church said.

One speaker, William McNary quoted letters from other hospitals in the south cook county area.In a letter from Ingalls Hospital in Harvey, he stated, they were not equipped to take on the 30-40 inpatients that Oak Forest hospital would no longer be able to service.A letter from Holy Cross Hospital on Chicagos southwest side was also quoted; they too stated that they could not afford to take on Oak Forests patients.

My brothers and sisters, my elected officials, McNary addressed the board. If we were to begin to release 30 to 40 dogs in the street out of a kennel without a plan for care, not only would these reporters be here but ABC, NBC and MSNBC would all be here.Healthcare is a human right for all not a privilege for some. We are not going to treat people in this state worse than we treat dogs.

If youre fighting to make sure that South Suburban residents have better healthcare tomorrow, were for it, he continued. But on the way to this better healthcare tomorrow, lets not abandon or neglect the needs of those that are here today, McNary said.

McNarys statement was met with an appreciative round of applause.

The final decision on the closing of Oak Forest Hospital will be made at a final hearing on May 10th.

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