All Corruption is not in Haiti--September 2006

September 21, 2006

The article in the Peoria Journal Star today by John Sharp entitled “Good State of Health” got my attention. 

Sharp interviewed the Director of IDPH, Dr. Eric Whitaker. Several years ago I wrote Dr. Whitaker about my concerns regarding EMS in Peoria. Dr. Whitaker replied that I should notify the department of IDPH that is in charge of EMS. This was run by Leslie Stein-Spencer at the time. 

The only problem with Dr. Whitaker’s advice for me is that Dr. George Hevesy, Director of the ED at OSF and previous Project Medical Director, and Stein-Spencer were acquaintances, and Dr. Hevesy was also working with or for IDPH for Region 2 in the state of Illinois. And I believe Dr. Rick Miller, the previous director of the ED at OSF and former Project Medical Director at OSF, when Dr. Jim Hubler resigned as Project Medical Director, is involved with Region 2 for the State of Illinois as well. With these arrangements, I did not see how IDPH could look at my concerns with an objective eye. 

In 2002, I spoke with a fire chief of a major metropolitan area in Illinois who spoke of OSF-SFMC in Peoria and their relationship with IDPH. He said it is “unfortunate” (the relationship). I don’t believe the relationship is a well-kept secret. 

And I recently spoke with another person in Illinois who has extensive knowledge regarding IDPH and EMS. He told me that IDPH has no idea what they are doing with EMS, and when a Dr. Hevesy tells them something, they go with it. 

He also told me that Dr. Hevesy is just doing what OSF-SFMC wants him to do regarding controlling EMS in Region 2. His control would include the city of Peoria as well. 

In today’s article, Sharp asked Dr. Whitaker if there were any concerns about the hospitals in Peoria spending millions of dollars (actually, one-half billion dollars) in hospital expansions. Dr. Whitaker responded that he had not heard of any concerns. The two hospitals are located a block apart and are going to spend over one-half billion dollars, and Dr. Whitaker had not heard of any concerns?

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My comments in 2021--

Illinois was recently named the second most corrupt state in the United States. And Chicago was named the most corrupt city in the United States.