More hospitals are turning to a drug called TNKase — a brand name for tenecteplase — to break up the blood clots that threaten stroke victims. It’s a less expensive and much faster acting drug than previous treatments. But patients get the benefit only if they seek treatment quickly, within the first hours after a stroke occurs.
Pending regulatory approval, OSF Healthcare will reopen the birthing unit at its Danville hospital — while the birthing center at its Urbana hospital will close.
PEORIA — Hospitals are facing a capacity crunch just in time for the holidays. That’s due to respiratory viruses, but COVID-19 isn’t the biggest driver of hospitalizations this winter. Instead, medical officials say an earlier-than-usual onset of RSV, coupled with an influenza wave, are packing emergency departments to capacity. That’s particularly true for pediatric units
PEORIA — OSF HealthCare’s insurance policy bars its LGBTQ employees from fertility treatment coverage. That’s according to a new report by Bloomberg Law. Reporter Shira Stein told WCBU that while most health plans use the CDC’s definition of infertility, OSF’s stated policy covers fertility treatments only for married, opposite-sex couples. Stein said while neither federal
OSF HealthCare acquired multiple parcels of real estate from Galesburg’s Cottage Hospital for $4 million. The sale was recorded April 12, according to the Knox County Assessor’s Office. According to parcel numbers and property tax records, the sale includes the following properties in Galesburg: 695 N. Kellogg St., Cottage Hospital 765 N. Kellogg St., Cottage
CHAMPAIGN — Public health officials in Champaign County are sounding the alarm as the omicron variant of COVID-19 spreads across the country. Hospital officials say they already have more COVID patients than at any time this past year. Champaign-Urbana Public Health District administrator Julie Pryde says we’re already in a wave of infections from
URBANA – Urbana’s two hospitals are not requiring employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, but vaccinations are strongly encouraged. At OSF Heart of Mary Medical Center, 64% of all staff – including leadership, frontline workers and support staff – are fully vaccinated, according to Deborah McCarter, the hospital’s vice president and chief nursing officer. A
August 2023 Editor’s note: The information below was originally reported in June of 2021. Much of it is no longer relevant as the COVID-19 public health emergency was declared over by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on May 11, 2023. For health questions about COVID-19, call the Illinois Department of Public Health hotline
Friday, April 16, 2021 Today’s headlines: Video of the fatal Chicago police shooting of Adam Toledo shows the 13-year-old raising his arms above his head the moment he is shot. COVID-19 is seeing a new resurgence in Region 2 of Illinois. The president of OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria says his hospital is currently at
URBANA – Supply chain issues and logistical challenges are causing the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine in Illinois to move slower than expected. But the vaccine is now going out to older adults in some parts of the state. The first phase of the state’s rollout of the vaccine included both health care personnel and
For health questions about COVID-19, call the Illinois Department of Public Health hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov. Illinois has expanded COVID-19 testing criteria to allow anyone to get tested, regardless of symptoms. Illinois Department of Public Health IDPH’s database features testing locations in Champaign, Urbana, Savoy, Danville, Decatur, Mattoon, Hoopeston and Pontiac, including, but
URBANA – Across Illinois’ Region 6, which includes 21 counties in east-central Illinois, hospitals have less than 30% capacity remaining in their medical-surgical and intensive care units, local health officials reported this week. Hospitals are filling up with COVID-19 patients as rates of community transmission rise throughout the region, says Champaign-Urbana Public Health Administrator Julie
CHAMPAIGN – From schools to restaurants to hospitals, restrictions are once again underway around Champaign County as COVID-19 cases rise. Friday will be the last day for in-person classes at Champaign Unit 4 Schools and Urbana School District 116. Both districts are switching to remote instruction only, starting Monday. At a Thursday news conference, Champaign-Urbana
Wind Knocks Down Wall Of Fire-Gutted Historic Chicago Church CHICAGO (AP) — Strong winds caused additional damage to a historic Chicago church but may have also swept in a badly needed “blessing” for a sanctuary where Mahalia Jackson and other famed gospel singers often sang and the man considered the father of gospel music led
While emergency medical procedures have continued throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, non-emergency or “elective” surgeries and medical procedures have been put on hold. But starting Monday, May 11, the state of Illinois allows health care providers to resume those procedures. Providers in east-central Illinois say they’re taking precautions to protect patients as they gear up to