St. Mary’s Hospital in Kankakee to end baby deliveries, Prime Healthcare confirms

KANKAKEE – Once the central point for the delivery of babies in and around Kankakee County, it appears that function will largely end for St. Mary’s.

Prime Healthcare, the new owner of St. Mary’s Hospital in Kankakee, is parting ways with the obstetrics group which has been the provider of childbirth labor and delivery services the past four years.

In an April 11 communication to Westwood Obstetrics & Gynecology Ltd., administration at 555 W. Court St., Kankakee, the contract, which expires at the close of business May 16, will not be renewed.

Having a preferred services agreement with Ascension St. Mary’s Hospital since May 2021, Westwood’s president, Dr. Roger Taylor, said the firm had no indication this decision was forthcoming.

The effect of this mid-May timeline, Taylor said, effectively removes St. Mary’s from being a birthing location.

Taylor said when Westwood signed to be the medical group for St. Mary’s births four years ago, the hospital was performing about 200 births annually. The total was increased to an estimated 500 in following years before it settled at 350 yearly the past two years.

Riverside Medical Center, located only a couple miles west of St. Mary’s, handles the vast majority of Kankakee, Iroquois and even southeast Will County births.

In an email response from Prime to the Daily Journal, Prime confirmed the labor and delivery practice will conclude. A Prime spokesman said there are not enough births to keep the service as a viable option.

“... But the need for maternal care has dramatically declined in our hospital while access to these services is stable within the community at neighboring hospitals,” Prime said.

The decline of births at the hospital resulted in this decision.

“This has led to the difficult, but necessary decision of transitioning OB services to Riverside Hospital and suspending OB services at St. Mary’s Hospital - Kankakee,” Prime said.

The spokesman said the hospital currently sees “just 26 births a month – less than one per day – with yearly births declining by nearly one-third since 2022.

“It is not possible to ensure the highest standards of quality care with such little volume and a service that was entirely dependent on any single physician,” the spokesman said.

‘No hint of this coming’

Prime said all staff affected by the suspension of OB services will be offered comparable positions elsewhere within the hospital or at other Prime Illinois facilities.

Prime said no other changes are planned at St. Mary’s at this time.

Taylor said when Prime Healthcare acquired St. Mary’s as part of its larger purchase of other health care locations in Illinois, including St. Joseph’s Hospital in Joliet, they were informed no major changes in services would take place for at least 18 months.

That situation was about two months ago, he said. He considers this action a significant change.

Taylor said Westwood offers St. Mary’s a top-notch practice.

“There was no hint of this coming,” he said.

In a news release shared by Westwood, Taylor said the medical practice, founded in 1969, has served generations of Kankakee County women and families, delivering thousands of babies and remained a “cornerstone of women’s health in the region for 55 years.”

Taylor said Westwood was informed in a notice of default on April 18 from Prime Healthcare, which formally acquired St. Mary’s Hospital in March.

“Westwood strongly disputes the claims made in that notice and has formally communicated its disagreement,” Taylor wrote in regard to the notice of default.

“Despite this, Prime has confirmed its intent to end the agreement ... and has not committed to any continuation of funding or service agreement beyond that date,” he said.

No formal transition plan for continuity of care has been shared, he said.

Taylor said Prime suggested the possibility of Westwood resuming operations as an independent medical practice. Taylor said with such a limited notice and no funding, the feasibility of such a transition remains uncertain.

“This is not how we envisioned the end of more than five decades of service,” he said. “We are deeply proud of what we’ve built and the care we’ve provided. But without clarity, support or time to prepare, continuing in this current environment is simply not possible. Our patients deserve better.”

Regarding the potential of more births being handled at Riverside, hospital administration said they are certainly able to handle additional labor and deliveries.

During the past three years, the number of births at Riverside has been approximately 700 per year. Prior to the pandemic, the average was more than 1,000.

“Riverside is certainly able to take on any additional labor and delivery patients,” said Riverside Healthcare President and CEO Phil Kambic. “Whatever changes there are in the local health care services, we have the staffing in both our clinics and at the hospital to meet the community need.

“With the expansion last year of the insurance plans we accept, we are now an option for even more area families. Having these vital services close to home is important, and we are glad to have the highly skilled, experienced staff to provide them.”