St. Mary's Hospital seeking approval to discontinue inpatient rehab, obstetrics, and inpatient behavioral health services

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — HSHS St. Mary's Hospital in Decatur is seeking approval from the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board (HFSRB) to discontinue the service of advanced inpatient rehabilitation, obstetrics and newborn nursery, pediatrics, and inpatient behavioral health services.

Multiple reasons for the discontinuations are cited in a release from St. Mary's including effects of the pandemic, lagging patient volumes, and rising labor costs.

The hospital does not plan on shutting down entirely.

“First and foremost, please be assured that HSHS is committed to keeping HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital open and on the current Decatur campus,” said St. Mary’s President and CEO Theresa Rutherford. “We intend to be in Decatur for decades to come.”

WAND News asked HSHS Medical Group how many staff members would be affected by the change. The Communications Director did not provide a number and said that it has not yet been determined as some staff members are transitioning to different roles.

The application for these changes will be submitted to the board on the last day of January and may not be decided until March or later.

Regarding the possible closing of St. Mary's pediatrics unit, the organization said that, "HSHS Medical Group Pediatrics in Decatur will remain open with no changes to providers, location or services offered. Dr. Aparna Alavalapadu and Dr. Sanjay Garg are both welcoming new patients as well as continuing to care for existing patients at their office on Lake Shore Drive in Decatur."

Multiple Decatur residents have reached out to WAND News with disappointment regarding the discontinuation of services in the area.