Ascension officials face community concerns at Elk Grove Village town hall

Ascension Health officials fielded sharp criticism about their decision to shut down labor and delivery services at the hospital system’s Elk Grove Village medical center during a town hall Thursday night.

Ascension officials plan to end labor and delivery services at Alexian Brothers Medical Center and consolidate those offerings at Ascension Saint Alexius Women and Children’s Hospital in Hoffman Estates.

Services will cease pending approval from the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board on Nov. 18. If the board allows it, the transition must be completed within 60 days.

Polly Davenport, an Ascension Illinois senior vice president and CEO and interim president of Alexian Brothers Medical Center, outlined the steps ahead. She said 89% of associates have accepted offers to transition to St. Alexius once the move receives state approval.

She said more than 70 associates will guide the transition plan.

“I also understand this is a very personal issue that touches the hearts of many people around the labor and delivery services,” Davenport said, adding, “I apologize if our initial communication was confusing.”

David Bordo, chief clinical officer for Ascension Illinois and Alexian Brothers interim chief medical officer, said Alexian Brothers will still have OB-GYN doctors available on call. He added there will be a process to transfer mother and child directly to St. Alexius.

The plan came under fire from several nurses and community members, however.

Kaylyn Krolicki, a labor and delivery nurse at Alexian Brothers who does not plan to continue once the move is made, questioned why the hospital would proceed with closure plans while simultaneously applying to expand neonatal intensive care at St. Alexius.

Krolicki said while Alexian Brothers’ unit is on one floor, that would not be the case in Hoffman Estates.

“Nobody is benefiting from this closure,” said Janet Ford, a certified nurse midwife. “It is not a good idea. If the state of Illinois is honest and doing its research properly, they will not approve this closure.”

She noted private OB-GYN clinicians at Alexian Brothers have not been invited to bring their patients to St. Alexius because the Hoffman Estates facility cannot handle the increased volume of patients.

“Let’s be honest. It’s about money,” said Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson, who moderated the town hall and said his four children and eight of his grandchildren were born at Alexian Brothers.

“The world of medicine is changing,” he said. “The sad part is today community hospitals do not really exist.”