PERU – St. Margaret’s Health Peru, the hospital that was until one year ago Illinois Valley Community Hospital, is set to what it calls “temporarily suspend operations” at the end of January. In a letter to staff, the parent company of St. Margaret’s Health Peru, SMP Health said the current provider of physicians for the Emergency Room terminated their contract and they cannot find, nor financially support, a new provider. With this decision, which goes into effect on January 28th, the Obstetrics Unit will be closing, which means expectant mothers will have to find care in other communities, like Ottawa, Pontiac or Morris. All other hospital care that was scheduled at the Peru complex will be moved to SMH-Spring Valley. The emergency room will no longer accept those seeking treatment this coming Thursday.
The letter, signed by Tim Muntz, President & CEO and Terry Judd, Chairperson of the Board, encourages employees who lost their position in Peru to check the job posting website for SMH-Spring Valley to apply for open, posted positions for which they may qualify.
SMP Health said that a cyber-attack and staffing shortages required the hospital to use temporary agencies to fill positions at a significantly higher pay rate was a factor in this decision. They also claimed the rising costs for goods also made an impact.
Illinois Valley Community Hospital was acquired by SMP Health in January of 2021.
