St. Anthony's One of Four Hospitals to Combine Business Offices

Hospital Sisters Health System, the owner of St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital in Effingham, is implementing a Central Business Office for hospitals in its Southern Illinois Division.  The move involves St. Anthony's, along with St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Belleville, St. Joseph's Hospital in Breese, and St. Joseph's Hospital in Highland.  It will involve more than a dozen jobs leaving Effingham.

Employees were informed of the plans on Monday.

St. Anthony's President and CEO Theresa Rutherford said in a statement Wednesday, "the goal of the CBO is to create consistency and reliability of financial services.  The CBO creates opportunities to decrease expenses, and more effectively focus our limited resources on the ever-changing health care needs of the community."

Rutherford's statement said available resources were reviewed at each location, and it was determined to locate the CBO on the campus of St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Belleville.

Colleagues from the four hospitals who work in the Patient Accounts department will be offered the opportunity to continue their positions at the Belleville location.  This will affect 14 St. Anthony's employees.  The departments of Coding, Registration, Pre-Certification and Scheduling will also experience a change, but only in their reporting structure, not in their physical location.

Rutherford's statement said the Administration of the Southern Illinois Division realizes the affected employees will have some decisions to make.  As a result, the transition will take a phased approach over the next few months to allow the workers time to consider their career options, including other opportunities at St. Anthony's.  People Services staff members are prepared to counsel the affected employees as to their options.

St. Anthony's Community Relations and Marketing Manager Terriann Tharp said the change will occur after the first of the year.