FHN Hospital to discontinue inpatient pediatric services
FREEPORT, Ill. (WIFR) - Starting Monday, October 3, inpatient pediatric services will no longer be available at FHN Memorial Hospital.
The hospital system made the announcement Friday on its website. The decision will not affect pediatric emergency room services, primary care or outpatient services.
“This decision was not made lightly,” said Kathryn Martinez, FHN executive vice president and chief operating officer.
Martinez shares that while the hospital has been able to offer advanced outpatient care, the number of hospitalized pediatric patients decreased by 54% since 2019.
“If your child requires immediate medical attention, our specially trained Emergency Room staff and providers are here to provide expert emergent care,” says Mark Gridley, FHN president and CEO.
FHN also will continue to offer pediatric office visits and outpatient surgical services like a tonsillectomy, orthopaedic repair, and laparoscopic appendectomy.
The announcement says that pediatric healthcare services elsewhere throughout FHN are not affected. FHN specialists and primary care providers will continue to care for patients of all ages, and FHN Pediatricians will continue to care for patients at the family healthcare center in Freeport.
A full list of FAQ’s about the transition is available here.
Copyright 2022 WIFR. All rights reserved.