Advocate Sherman Hospital lost its standing as a Level II trauma center when the designation was revoked Friday by the Illinois Department of Public Health. (Gloria Casas / The Courier-News)
Advocate Sherman Hospital’s designation as a Level II trauma center was revoked Friday by the Illinois Department of Public Health in the wake of an anesthesiologist shortage that has had the Elgin-based facility sending emergency cases to other hospitals.
Losing its Level II status means Sherman can no longer receive ambulances with patients needing immediate emergency care.
All emergency medical services medical directors, coordinators, agencies and trauma center medical directors and coordinators in Elgin’s Region 9 were notified of the change in a letter sent Friday by the state Department of Public Health.
Seriously injured patients in the Elgin area will need to go to AMITA St. Joseph Hospital in Elgin, which is a Level II facility, or to another trauma facility outside of the city.
Sherman officials, in a statement released Friday afternoon, said they were “disappointed” by the state’s action and would work to regain their status. The situation, the statement said, stems from their need to switch to a new anesthesiologist firm following failed contract talks with their longtime provider.
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Regardless of the reason, “it’s a huge problem for the city of Elgin and obviously for those in trauma,” Elgin Mayor Dave Kaptain said. “It now puts the residents of the city of Elgin at risk.”
While public health officials did not disclose why Sherman lost its standing, the agency did say this week that the hospital had gone on “bypass” for 161 hours between Sept. 1 and 20. Bypass means emergency responders are told they cannot bring patients requiring immediate care to Sherman.
Two Sherman-based doctors brought the issue to the attention of the Elgin City Council this week, describing a situation in which a lack of anesthesiologists meant they couldn’t treat trauma victims and surgeries for such things as cancerous tumor removal had to be moved to other facilities. Women in labor could not be assured there would be an anesthesiologist available if they needed an epidural or C-section or if an emergency situation developed, they said.
Sherman officials say the shortage is occurring because they were forced to replace the the doctors who had been doing the work for the last 30 years. When they couldn’t reach a deal with Elgin-based United Anesthesia Associates, they hired a national firm, TeamHealth, to take over effective Oct. 1.
“After months of unsuccessful contract negotiation led to the cancellation of our previous anesthesia provider contract, we are pleased to have a new, top quality provider group and to be on our way to full services,” an Advocate Sherman statement issued Friday said.
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“We were disappointed to learn today that IDPH (Illinois Department of Public Health) reclassified our Level II Trauma Center designation. We are working with IDPH to regain our status and we continue to provide safe, high-quality care for our patients and community.”
The doctors who addressed the council this week said they had been informed the shortage could continue as long as nine to 12 months because TeamHealth’s doctors would need to be licensed in Illinois. In the meantime, the hospital is relying on qualified, but temporary anesthesiologists to fill the gap, they said.
Kaptain said Friday he has been frustrated by the conflicting reports he’s been getting from the hospital.
Earlier this week, Sherman officials assured him the state had inspected the facility and cleared its bypass and anesthesia procedures, Kaptain said.
“I’m not a very happy camper with them. I think they’ve been disingenuous to a degree. I’ve been getting mixed stories for over a month.”
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Kaptain said he did not know what the Elgin Fire Department could do other than to transport all trauma patients to St. Joseph’s ER. But that hospital can only handle so many cases so there’s a likelihood Elgin ambulances will be going to hospitals in other communities, he said.
“(That) puts people at risk if our fire department has to go further,” Kaptain said.
Dr. Michael Perlin, an anesthesiologist at the hospital for 28 years until Sherman opted to end contract talks with United Anesthesia Associates, called Sherman “a fairly busy trauma center.”
A facility designated as a Level II can treat people involved in car crashes, shootings, stabbings, industrial accidents and other serious emergency situations, Perlin said.
In addition to St. Joseph, there are nine other Level II hospitals in Region 9: Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village, Centegra Hospitals in Huntley and McHenry, Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital in Geneva, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, AMITA Health Mercy Medical Center in Aurora, Rush Copley Medical Center in Aurora and St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates, the state health department’s website said.
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The nearest trauma center with the highest Level I designation is Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge.
While Elgin’s St. Joseph Hospital is a Level II trauma center, it’s a smaller medical center, Perlin said. “(Sherman) had a fairly large trauma service so it’s a huge loss for the community,” he said.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
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