The Joliet Herald News "Common Sense" column on May 27, 2009:
Local hospitals scared of having competition in Plainfield
Bravo, Donald Bennett, interim village administrator of Plainfield! Your letter to the editor on May 14 regarding the Edward Hospital mess was absolutely fabulous and speaks for many. Mine is one of the 30,000 letters of support you referred to.
My husband and I moved to this area 12 years ago today. Without mentioning names, our first experience with "local" emergency services was shocking. We vowed never to return. We've kept our primary care doctors from the town we used to live in and who are connected with Adventist Hinsdale Hospital. Our children were born there despite the many miles and pre-I-55 expansion traffic jams we had to endure. Once you receive better than "adequate" health care, you don't settle for anything less. By the way, Adventist Bolingbrook, you're not, in my opinion, up to par with Adventist Hinsdale.
Having only heard good things about Edward Hospital from neighbors, we were excited at the prospect of another choice for quality healthcare without having to drive the extra distance. Sadly, this has yet to transpire.
While we wait for a full-service Edward Hospital, they have a marvelous facility on 127th Street in Plainfield, between Routes 30 and 59. I recently had my first experience at Edward Immediate Care when I brought in my son with a baseball injury. Arriving shortly after they opened at 8 a.m. on a Sunday morning, we were greeted by pleasant and professional staff. There was only one other party waiting for care at the time, so the waiting area was quiet. After approximately 10 to 15 minutes, we were called back to a very clean, spacious, brightly lit private room where we registered and a nurse performed an initial assessment of the injury. Shortly after that, off to X-ray. After another seemingly short wait, a doctor appeared to examine my son's finger, go over the X-ray results, provide instructions for care and a referral to an orthopedic doctor.
Afterward, the nurse returned, splinted my son's finger, gave us discharge papers and apologized for the lengthy wait. I glanced up at the clock. Only 1 hour and 35 minutes had passed since we first pulled into the parking lot.
"A long wait?" I asked. She explained that Sundays are their busiest days, so she was sorry for any inconvenience the wait may have caused.
Yes, Mr. Bennett, I completely agree. The opposition is afraid of competition -- very afraid.
Wanting quality health care to remain her choice, Lori Sherman of Plainfield can be contacted at twinmom6802@yahoo.com.
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