St. Francis Hospital in Blue Island to close -- Hospitals and C...

Julie wrote:

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So Pearl, are you willing to foot the bill for all of this, because I am mad as hell and tired as shit of paying for all these supposed rights of other people that for number one don't even have the "right" to be here..

Julie: they're not "supposed rights" of other people. They are human rights.

If you can't recognize the humanity of other people, and can't recognize that your government, with your approval, is failing to pay Medicaid assistance for the poor -- who are kept poor by the massive exporting of American manufacturing jobs to other countries by our same government and American businessmen -- then hopefully you don't have the hypocrisy to claim to be a Christian, or an American patriot. The Declaration of Independence clearly states: "We declare these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

Perhaps we could claim that it's an architecturally significant, historic African-American church/hospital, and then appeal to Governor Blagojevich to save it.

St. Francis will not be the last city hospital to close its doors. Illinois is a very hostile state for health care providers.
Hospital systems with locations in lucrative suburban markets are the only ones that can "afford" to prop-up money losing hospitals that operate in depressed parts of the City. That's the sad fact. There is no easy solution.
I am quite sure that soon after St. Frances closes and the migration of non paying patients toward these suburban hospitals occur, we will see a push for change.

My mother worked there for 12 years and just recently passes away after a 2 month struggle with cancer. She gave 110% of yherself as a nurses aid to care for the sick and dying. She was only 67 and never got to enjoy retiremwnt after breaking her back and giving the sick her most devoted compassion. I am sad to see this hospital going under because the employees will be without work and a great cardiac hospital will be gone. Will my mother and the rest of the employees still have their pension available to collect since it was through the hospital and their years of dedication that they are entitled to that. Any response to my thoughts will be appreciated.

Kathy wrote:

Pearl,
"From the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:Article 25"
That is for AMERICANS AND PEOPLE WHO CAME HERE LEGALLY.

Actually, no, you're wrong about Article 25 applying only to U.S. citizens. It's the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, which the United States fully supported after the atrocities and deaths of millions of people in Asia and Europe during World War II. And, of course, it's based on the Declaration of Independence, which states that "all men are created equal" and possess "certain inalienable rights," which means those rights are inherent and cannot be taken away.

By the way, when you type in boldface, you come across as screaming and irrational. It tends to suggest you can't win an argument by logic and persuasion.

As insurance companies pay less for health care and make greater profits, this is what happens. At some point the government will have to step in and make insurance companies pay medical bills. Each year our premiums go up and coverage declines. And then you add the cost of drugs too. At some point it results in hospital closings, and it is happening all over the USA. Caring for the uninsured should not have to fall on the hospital and local doctors. Either they don't get care or the government needs to step in and help cover the medical costs.

How can this happen? Perhaps if the young people of the south suburbs and the Beverly/Evergreen Park had stayed and not had moved up to Lakeview or to other areas we might have survived. But these are the people that know better and do you know what they are the fools!! We suffer because of this and there is alot more yet to come--Stay South and Keep The Money Here...We have or had alot of great restaurants--we need some backers to help us Keep St. Francis Open--so people will or would come back home where they belong and raise their kids like Our Depression Kid Parents Raised Us!!! Thank you for your time

Did you know that the owners of St. Francis, SSM, are building a NEW $400 Million hospital near St. Louis?

Seems odd that they can't keep a well-established hospital going but can put up $400 million to build a new one??

I am so sorry that St Francis is closing. It is a nice hospital that offers a lot of current services. I am sorry for the people who use the hospital and I am very sorry for the employees that are losing their jobs.
I was born there

"If the young people of the south suburbs and the Beverly/Evergreen Park had stayed and not had moved up to Lakeview" says the lady from clarendon hills, il. That makes me angry. What about you? Why did you have to move? This is about a hospital in BI closing, not about beverly or EP. Still a sad story nonetheless.

Are Americans see what's happening to greedy private insurance companies? The reason the board rejected because majority of the people who live in suburb often earn decent income, building this kind of hospital at the suburb would hurt private insurance companies. This is not something new in case if you people watched Micheal Moore's Sicko. Who's to blame it's the U.S. government for allowing private insurance companies to roam around for free

I think it's safe to say that the closing of St. Francis is affecting all of us since everyone on here is going at each other's throats about this with insults (I may be the only cool, calm and rational person on here, not that I'm better than anyone else though). My mother works there and she greatly affected by this situation. I will miss the staff so much.

Jake wrote:

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Actually, no, you're wrong about Article 25 applying only to U.S. citizens. It's the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, which the United States fully supported after the atrocities and deaths of millions of people in Asia and Europe during World War II. And, of course, it's based on the Declaration of Independence, which states that "all men are created equal" and possess "certain inalienable rights," which means those rights are inherent and cannot be taken away.
By the way, when you type in boldface, you come across as screaming and irrational. It tends to suggest you can't win an argument by logic and persuasion.

I am deeply sadden that a GREAT hospital is closing. Not only did St. Francis give me the opportunity as a new grad (RN) to fulfill my dreams of becoming an Operating Room Nurse after starting on their 3rd floor Med-Surg. unit. They also taught me the skills of becoming what I am today...a Clinical Coordinator in the Operating Room in one of the finest hospitals in Sacramento, California. I can only hope for the best for the staff who has stayed by their side after all these years. It will be a sad day when they close their doors for the final time. My family and I will pray for a miracle.

Almost everyone who has lived in Blue Island for the last 4 or 5 generations was born at St. Francis - Sister Joann was in the delivery room when I was born in 1940 and she was in the delivery room when my 3 children were born in the 1960's. Dr. Kenneth Smith delivered me and most of the kids I went to school with and Dr. John Schuetz delivered my children - that was in the old hospital across the street. The present site on the east side of Gregory St. is on land donated by Dr. Doepp's family - and the Sisters did a wonderful job of overseeing the administration of the hospital since its inception. And many, many R.N.'s had their inital clinical experience at St. Francis. We won't get into the politics of how something like this can happen - I hope Ingalls in Harvey isn't next. By the way, after my mother died I found the receipt for the two weeks she spent at St. Francis after I was born in 1940 -$2 a day for baby -$5.50 a day for my mother's care !!!

Jake wrote:

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Actually, no, you're wrong about Article 25 applying only to U.S. citizens. It's the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, which the United States fully supported after the atrocities and deaths of millions of people in Asia and Europe during World War II. And, of course, it's based on the Declaration of Independence, which states that "all men are created equal" and possess "certain inalienable rights," which means those rights are inherent and cannot be taken away.
By the way, when you type in boldface, you come across as screaming and irrational. It tends to suggest you can't win an argument by logic and persuasion.

I think what she may have been pointing out is that each member of the United Nations has a responsibility for its own citizens. Each member of the U.N. can try and support this ideal if other countries are poor in human rights-I don't believe it was meant to be a contractual, financial obligation.
Although it may seem insensitive, I think Cook County residents are still reeling from the sales tax hike-brought on, in part, by its medical services. Fairly recently it was discovered that Stroger Hospital didn't collect 150 million of what was deemed collectible payments-this fact was hidden under John Stroger. A collection agency was only able to collect 50 million and said the rest could not be collected. This makes it sound as if individuals are responsible not insurers. Added to this Cook sent 5 million apiece to 3 collar counties for social services-which included medical. Plus, there are around 14 illegal immigrants in Oak Forest that require long-term care at a cost of about 10 million a year. The sales tax increase was to cover a 200 million deficit-much of this appears to come from medical services-not just patronage. So it makes you wonder if this is the same situation.
Tax payers support public schools, medical services, and now a mortgage bailout, all for the larger community. The costs are being felt. It seems as if you play by the rules not only do you support your own family but someone else's and that's hard. It's like when you see the tv ads to support the children-I feel sad and try to donote to charity if my budget allows. The difference here is I have no choice but to donate whether I want to or not, whether I can afford to or not.
I was recently a patient there, was released and needed a follow-up. Through that doctor I was sent to Palos. Just my experience but Palos was a dump with really rude staff. St. Francis was wonderful-can't say enough about the great care me and mine have received there.

kathy wrote:

Lopez:
ER is being abused,.....those who stay on welfare. Instead of going to a clinic they rush to the ER which is more expensive and takes away from the true emergencies......
Hospitals should treat only emergencies and government should only help those who truly fall on bad times and then, for only a certain amount of time.

You selfish IGNORANT cretin. There are 45,000,000 who do NOT have health insurance. 97% don't have it because they can NOT AFFORD it. What do yo think the person making your hamburger earns? Or the clerk at the grocery? Or the person who rang up your purchases at the mall?

Close to 90% of those on Medicaid are (a) children (b) improvished elderly now in nursing homes - and at $4000 or more amonth for a nursing,home it doesn't take long to become impovrished and (c) the permanently disabled who either wworn born disbled or became disabled before being able to workenough quarter to qualify for Soc. Sec. disablity and Medicare. Guess we had better euthanizeallthose autistic kids beofre they grow uup and need Medicaid ,eh?

You want cheap goods and cheap services but that means low pay. Where do you think those workers are supposed to live or get medical care?

You obviously do NOT belong to any Judaic or Christian church.

What Do You Expect wrote:

Healthcare coverage is not a basic right, it is a service that deserves fair reimbursement. As an RN, I see incredible abuse of pain medications and displays of rude treatment to healthcare workers by many patients who are self/no pay. As healthcare workers, we have to provide service and still pay taxes for this treatment and abuse. I am sure many more hospitals will be forced to close as the continued abuse of the healthcare system expands. What will happen then?

I suggest that you make a career cahnge - waiting tables would be a good choice. then you can see what it is like to work until you drop but not get paid enough to afford decent housing or medical care.

With any luck a restaurant cook who has mononucleosis or TB but no insurance ecause they earn to littl and thsu no care will cough on your food.

Ella wrote:

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As a fellow RN, I can't agree more with you! The recent murder of an ICU nurse in Georgia by the son of a former patient who died (of natural causes) is just one of the many examples of abuse. Physicians, nurses, and other allied health care professionals need to be paid fairly, based on their level of education. It is sad that our society immortalizes actors and sports figures, but so much respect has been lost towards physicians, nurses, firefighters, and police. Why would anyone want to join these professions?

Uh huh.... and the mother of someone I know just died from breast cancer ecasue she couldn't afford the $15,000 deductible of the only plan that her employer offerred so she didn't get care until too late.

Seriously - another one who needs to go wait tables. Nurses are way overpaid foe merely having an Associates or a BA. My vet doesn;t make that much and he spent a LOT more time in school and is a far better diagnostician since his patients can't talk.

jfx wrote:

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I know many have that view, and while I agree to some extent I admit I find it a bit strange in some ways. We expect people to pay for food, shelter, clothes, education, transportation. Yes, many of these are subsidized by taxpayers, but it is not the same as what other's pay from pocket. Yet many feel that everyone deserves the same health care. Why? Over 16% of the US economy (GDP) is spent on healthcare, and increasing every year. How is it sustainable to say everyone has a right to all medical care they want?

The costs are quite sustainable to cover all once ou eliminate the 30-40% of all premiums that are skimmed off the top by private insurers for excess administratin, marketing and profits. They spend 22-30 cents of every $ on administration (read: denying claims.) Medicare spends 3-5 cents.

Then the providers can cut about $20,000,000,000 from their admin costs of having to have so much staff to fight with the private insurers.

Someone mention that hospitals are "glad" to set up a payment play for you.. SORRY....that is no longer true. Hospitals want their money now, or else they sell your debt to vicious collectors.

Paying $10 a week doesn't cut it anymore since an average hospital stay can be $1000 per day.