OSF HealthCare St. Joseph Medical Center

The winter storm that arrived on Thursday could strain Bloomington-Normal hospitals that already are close to capacity.

Health experts have identified access to care, mental health and healthy living as priorities in McLean County's new community needs health assessment. The plan is based on health data compiled over the last several years.

The head of emergency care at Carle BroMenn Medical Center in Normal says it appears the winter storm kept more people away from the hospital.

Lynn Fulton, president of OSF St. Joseph Medical Center, says incidental cases of COVID-19 make up a small percentage of COVID patients at the Bloomington hospital.

Kim Blakey oversees patient flow and bed capacity at OSF HealthCare St. Joseph in Bloomington. She says transfer patients are being turned away daily.

Rick Anderson, chief medical officer at OSF St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington, said he’s concerned vaccine hesitancy will be even greater when it comes to getting younger children vaccinated.

A hospital administrator in Bloomington says staffing remains a challenge, even though they are seeing fewer COVID patients.

OSF St. Joseph Medical Center officially dedicates its new cancer center Thursday. St. Joseph President Lynn Fulton said the $9 million project introduces the practice of multidisciplinary clinics to the Twin Cities.

The state of Illinois plans to close the COVID-19 testing site at the Interstate Center at the end of July.

OSF St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington is seeking federal money to develop a new family practice residency program.