St. Mary's Hospital in Streator, Ill., is no longer offering healthcare services, and the building will now be an urgent care center owned and operated by Peoria, Ill.-based OSF Healthcare System, according to The Times.
In September, St. Mary's Hospital, which is part of Springfield, Ill.-based Hospital Sisters Health System, announced plans to shut down and transfer ownership of the hospital and its related facilities to OSF. A state panel approved the hospital closure in November.
St. Mary's closed Monday, and OSF will initially use the former hospital building as an urgent care center. The health system plans for the facility, called OSF Center for Health-Streator, to have a certified emergency department in February, after a necessary approval process is completed. OSF also plans to build a new outpatient center in Streator, and it is uncertain what would happen to the St. Mary's building at that point.
David Gorenz, regional CEO for OSF, told The Times he understands why the community is concerned about the closure of St. Mary's. However, he said the outpatient center is a "new model for care for rural communities."
A list of the services offered at OSF Center for Health-Streator can be found here.
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