After merger, KSB Hospital in Dixon is now officially OSF HealthCare Saint Katharine Medical Center

Rock River Current
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DIXON  — OSF HealthCare Saint Katharine Medical Center is now officially a part of OSF HealthCare.

The former KSB Hospital in Dixon was renamed after its merger with Peoria-based OSF HealthCare. It became OSF’s 17th hospital on Jan. 1.

“As health care continues to evolve, we are responsible for ensuring that we are planning for the future. The challenge of being a standalone, rural hospital in today’s financial environment, was an important element in our board’s consideration,” David Schreiner, president and chief executive officer of KSB Hospital, said in a statement. “OSF HealthCare shares our deep commitment to caring for the health of rural communities and has demonstrated innovative ways to transform health care for the benefit of all people they serve.”

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The 80-bed acute care hospital is one of the largest employers in Lee County. Six clinic locations in Lee and Ogle counties were also integrated into OSF HealthCare, bringing about 900 employees under the nonprofit Catholic health care company.

The hospital was originally called Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital in 1897 when Judge Solomon Bethea donated his estate to honor his late wife, Katherine. The new name is intended to pay tribute to the hospital’s long-standing commitment to the Sauk Valley region while following OSF’s tradition to name its hospitals after saints.

The new name is after Saint Katharine Drexel, the patron saint of philanthropy who was known for her dedication to social justice. She shares the same name albeit it a different spelling than the woman who the hospital was initially named for.

“We have a great opportunity in Dixon and surrounding communities to advance health care that is connected to all the other pieces of OSF,” AJ Querciagrossa, CEO of OSF’s western region, said in a news release. “It’s no different than our other communities, like Galesburg or Peru. When we talk about regional healthcare delivery models, I look at Dixon as a regional healthcare delivery model that will have access to higher, tertiary and quaternary care through the OSF network.”

Earlier this week, Bishop David Malloy conducted a blessing during a dedication ceremony for the hospital.

A local advisory council has been established to provide advice to hospital management and OSF on the local facilities.

“I hope for our Dixon community members, that they feel that OSF came in and did an amazing job of enhancing the care that was provided,” said Jackie Kernan, president of OSF Saint Katharine, in a news release. “That they feel comfortable with the services and feel proud that we’re here and that we’re serving our community with Mission-driven care.”

With the addition of OSF Saint Katharine, OSF HealthCare now employs nearly 25,000 at more than 150 locations. That includes OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford and other hospitals throughout Illinois and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.