The Illinois Health Facilities Board, the authority on approving or denying healthcare services and facilities and issuing certificates of need in Illinois, is struggling to fill three vacancies, which has proved to be even more difficult after the passage of several reforms in 2009, according to a Chicago Business news report.
Historically, the board has had a difficult time appointing board members because of a provision that prohibits board members from having an association with healthcare facilities or services. A reform package passed in 2009 included increasing the number of board members from five to nine. What's more, Gov. Quinn struck down a single provision in the reform package that would have compensated board members for their time — $65,000 per board member and at least $90,000 for the chairman — which some say may have made appointment efforts easier, according to the news report.
The board, which currently has six of the nine board seats filled, has been unable to fill more than eight seats. Two board members are reportedly serving on expired contracts, and one member has missed more than half of the board's meetings since March 2010. The vacancies, though only few, have other implications. Only five votes are needed to pass a request, meaning a single rejection from a board member could shoot down an entire proposal if only five board members are present.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle has expressed disappointment at Gov. Quinn's failure to fill three open seats on the Illinois Health Facilities board. Other Illinois lawmakers have remained mum on the topic. A spokesperson for the governor blamed the vacancy difficulties partly on the Blagojevich administration. "We did inherit a significant backlog and expired vacancies when we came into office," she said. She made no comments regarding Gov. Quinn's veto of board compensation.
According to the news report, the governor's office is reviewing six applications for the vacancies, though no deadline has been set for official appointments. Meanwhile, later this month the board will consider applications to build hospitals in McHenry County by Crystal Lake, Ill.-based Centegra Health System and Janesville, Wis.-based Mercy Health System.
Read the Chicago Business news report about the Illinois Health Facilities Board.
Related Articles on the Illinois Health Facilities Board:
State Measure Would Help Close Illinois' Oak Forest Hospital
Illinois' Oak Forest Hospital Suspends Surgeries
Illinois Won't Allow Closure of Struggling Oak Forest Hospital But Approves Shut Down of East St. Louis Facility
Historically, the board has had a difficult time appointing board members because of a provision that prohibits board members from having an association with healthcare facilities or services. A reform package passed in 2009 included increasing the number of board members from five to nine. What's more, Gov. Quinn struck down a single provision in the reform package that would have compensated board members for their time — $65,000 per board member and at least $90,000 for the chairman — which some say may have made appointment efforts easier, according to the news report.
The board, which currently has six of the nine board seats filled, has been unable to fill more than eight seats. Two board members are reportedly serving on expired contracts, and one member has missed more than half of the board's meetings since March 2010. The vacancies, though only few, have other implications. Only five votes are needed to pass a request, meaning a single rejection from a board member could shoot down an entire proposal if only five board members are present.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle has expressed disappointment at Gov. Quinn's failure to fill three open seats on the Illinois Health Facilities board. Other Illinois lawmakers have remained mum on the topic. A spokesperson for the governor blamed the vacancy difficulties partly on the Blagojevich administration. "We did inherit a significant backlog and expired vacancies when we came into office," she said. She made no comments regarding Gov. Quinn's veto of board compensation.
According to the news report, the governor's office is reviewing six applications for the vacancies, though no deadline has been set for official appointments. Meanwhile, later this month the board will consider applications to build hospitals in McHenry County by Crystal Lake, Ill.-based Centegra Health System and Janesville, Wis.-based Mercy Health System.
Read the Chicago Business news report about the Illinois Health Facilities Board.
Related Articles on the Illinois Health Facilities Board:
State Measure Would Help Close Illinois' Oak Forest Hospital
Illinois' Oak Forest Hospital Suspends Surgeries
Illinois Won't Allow Closure of Struggling Oak Forest Hospital But Approves Shut Down of East St. Louis Facility