Right now two local hospitals are pitted against each other, in a fight over who should provide ambulance service in Belvidere. Swedish American leaders spoke out Wednesday over concerns OSF St. Anthony's is trying to steal away business.
Swedish American recently bought Belvidere's only hospital, after a bidding war with Rockford Memorial and a complaint from OSF St. Anthony's that licensing procedures weren't being followed. Both signs of the healthy level of competition in the health industry.
Now another hurdle, Belvidere's ambulance service is owned by the same company that owns OSF Saint Anthony's.
"We frankly are concerned that that could enter into the process when patients are picked up by an ambulance and are transported to an appropriate hospital," says Don Daniels, Administrator of Swedish American Hospital's Belvidere branch.
Swedish American wants an independent, impartial ambulance service to take over. But many Belvidere residents say they're satisfied with OSF Lifeline Ambulance's 14 years of service.
"We've got the support of the fire department, police department, 1100 citizens signed a petition saying keep Lifeline," says David Schertz, CEO of OSF St. Anthony's.
Last week, the Belvidere city council voted against the switch. But Mayor Fred Brereton may ask aldermen to reconsider.
Brereton says he's heard stories of OSF ambulances diverting patients preferentially to OSF St. Anthony's, if true, that could damage profitability at Belvidere's local hopital.
The city has already lost two hospitals in the last decade because of financial issues. In a recent survey, Belvidere residents said they badly wanted a medical facility and emergency room closer to home.
"We should be supporting the efforts of Swedish American to make sure that they're successfull," says Brereton.
But OSF employees say ambulances follow the law requiring them to take patients to the closest hospital unless another one has better equipment to deal with a specific trauma; or the patient requests to go further.
"We weigh how far the closest is to the one they want to go to and then advise the patient what we would do for our own family member," says Dr. Jane Billeter, an M.D. at OSF St. Anthony's.
Mayor Brereton will hold an open discussion to answer community questions and concerns over this issue. That will be this Saturday March 15th from 8:00 A.M. to 9:30 A.M. at the community building, 111 W. First Street in Belvidere.