3 years ago by Scott Hardy
Illinois Health Facilities & Services Review Board to consider proposal next month
A report by the staff for an Illinois medical review board says that Quincy Medical Group's proposed hospital would unnecessarily duplicate services, and add un-needed hospital beds.
The staff of the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board recently released their report on QMG's proposed $61 million "small-format" hospital in the Quincy Town Center. The report says in its' conclusion that based on information they received for the project, referrals to QMG's hospital would be re-directed from Blessing Hospital, which staff says is already under-utilized, to the proposed new hospital. They say that QMG did not identify any unmet needs that would be served by the new hospital. The staff report also says that proposed project would "result in an unnecessary duplication of service" in the area. The Review Board says that it's estimated that the area in Western Illinois served by Blessing and QMG will see a population decrease of over 4 per cent by 2022.
The staff report knocked down a request by Blessing Health System to have Cullinan Properties listed as a co-applicant on the hospital, saying they don't have jurisdiction over the developers, who own the Quincy Town Center and its' property. The report though did support Blessing's assertion that QMG's arrangement to swap hospital beds with two smaller regional hospitals isn't allowed under the Review Board's rules. QMG has agreements with Memorial Hospital in Carthage, and Culbertson Hospital in Rushville for those hospitals to each surrender beds once QMG's hospital is finished. The Review Board is set to decide on the proposed hospital May 4th.
The full staff report is available below.
