St. John's Hospital | NPR Illinois

Shortages Keep COVID-19 Testing Limited In Illinois

By Mary Hansen • Mar 23, 2020

Memorial Health System's Respiratory Clinic is on Sixth Street in Springfield. — Sam Dunklau / NPR Illinois

The Sangamon County Department of Public Health is asking residents to call its hotline if they think they’ve been exposed to COVID-19. But because testing is still limited by lack of supply, calling the line is no guarantee of finding out whether you actually have the disease.

Flu Activity Up, Effectiveness Of Flu Shot Questioned

By Jaclyn Driscoll • Dec 11, 2017

Several areas throughout Illinois are experiencing heightened flu activity and one preliminary report shows the flu vaccine may only be 10% effective.

Deadline For Free Bed Program Fast Approaching

By Rachel Otwell • Feb 25, 2016

A store for beds and a hotline for parents are teaming up to provide needy families new mattresses, box-springs and bed-frames. The 40 Winks Foundation has provided several thousand beds to children all over the country. Slumberland, located at 2450 Chuckwagon Drive in Springfield, is providing beds for families in the Springfield area for the third time, the deadline to apply is Monday, Feb. 29th.

Springfield Hospitals Consider How To Commemorate 1908 Race Riots

By Rachel Otwell • Nov 30, 2015

St. John's and Southern Illinois University School of Medicine have plans for a new women and children's medical center. The plot of land along 9th street contains the foundations of homes burnt during the 1908 race riot.

Springfield Hospitals Competing For Trauma Patients

By Bill Wheelhouse • Dec 31, 2014

Both of Springfield's major hospitals will be offering trauma care starting New Years Day.

The State Journal Register reports that HSHS St. John's Hospital will compete with Memorial Medical Center in offering trauma care. In the past the hospitals alternated annually providing care to those seriously injured.

Effort Underway To Gauge Sangamon County Health Needs

By Sean Crawford • Sep 30, 2014

You have a chance to give your thoughts about public health in Sangamon County.

Memorial Medical Center, St. John's Hospital and the Sangamon County Public Health Department are teaming up to conduct a Community Health Needs Assessment. Information is being gathered through five local forums starting this week and an online survey.

St. John's Children's Hospital Exec Charged With Embezzlement

By Associated Press • Sep 23, 2014

A children's hospital official in central Illinois faces a charge of embezzling $500,000 from the institution since 2008, according to a published report.

Springfield police on Monday arrested Margaret "Peggy" Curtin, 55, executive director of St. John's Children's Hospital, according to the report in the State Journal-Register. She is in custody at the Sangamon County Jail on $1 million bond, State's Attorney John Milhiser said in a news release Tuesday.

Trauma Care Decision Highlights Competition Between Springfield Hospitals

By Bill Wheelhouse • Sep 11, 2014

Officials at St. John's hospital say a decision by the SIU School of Medicine to move all Trauma care services to Memorial Medical center happened because St. John's asked SIU for more financial accountability of their services. SIU officials deny that the permanent switch to memorial was connected to St. John's request for the audit. Dean Olsen reports that claim in Thursday's State Journal Register.

East Side Farmer's Market Starts On Monday

By Lee Strubinger • Jul 3, 2014

Summertime means Farmer's Markets. Springfield has several, but a relatively new one has popped up on Springfield's east side. Lee Strubinger sat down with Wendy White-Mitter and Mary Rogers from St. John's Hospital, which sponsors the market. One of the challenges of the East Side Farmer's Market, they say, is that goes underutilized...

St. John's Hospital To Lay Off 43 Managers

By Bill Wheelhouse & Associated Press • Jun 5, 2014

St. John's Hospital in Springfield has announced it will lay off 43 managers over the next few months.

President and Chief Executive Charles Lucore says cutting management costs will help preserve the quality of patient care.

The (Springfield) State Journal-Register quotes him as saying the decision was driven by financial pressures from the Affordable Care Act as well as the lower reimbursements.

The 43 positions represent about 1 percent of the hospital's workforce.

Lucore named St. John's CEO

By Lee Strubinger • Feb 13, 2014

St. John's new CEO says the Springfield hospital will face many challenges as a result of the Affordable Care Act ... like changes in Medicare reimbursement -- which now rewards keeping patients out of hospitals.

Dr. Charles Lucore's appointment was announced Thursday.