Hey, I still live here … on the weekends, at least.
So, from the Daily Times Weekend edition:
* CityLink now has hourly routes between Pekin & Peoria for only $1. Covenient & affordable public transportation … now there’s a novel concept! Kudos to the City of Pekin and CityLink for making this happen.
* The Times editorial board thinks the Pekin City Council should choose someone outside their ranks to serve the remainder of Dave Tebben’s mayoral term. I concur. Any chance that Frank Mackaman would be willing to go another round??? I’m guessing no, but I think he would be fantastic choice.
* Speaking of the Times editorial board … Michelle Teheux has been chosen as the new editor of the Pekin Daily Times, effective December 29. Congratulations, Michelle!
Teheux will step into the opening left by Rick Wade’s rather rowdy departure. I’m still eager to hear more details about that particular event.
* The back page of the Lifestyles section has a half-page advertisement declaring that my old office (Suite D) in the Park Court Medical Center is being transformed into the new Pekin UrgentCare. The reason given is “to better serve you and your family.”
What’s the real reason? Because of its current location contiguous with the Emergency Department and within Pekin Hospital proper, a hospital surcharge is added to the bill of everyone who uses the UrgentCare. This is speculation on my part, but I’m thinking the surcharge can be eliminated in this new location, improving Pekin Hospital’s competitiveness with the Pekin Methodist Medpointe in regards to Urgent Care services.
However, I’m not sure that makes up for the loss of seven physicians in the last year – three of them to Methodist.
4 responses so far ↓
1
A Knight in Dragonland » Blog Archive » Frank Mackaman for Governor!
// Dec 28, 2008 at 10:48 am
[...] my last post I stated that it would be great if Frank Mackaman was chosen as the next Mayor of [...]
2
Jenny
// Jan 2, 2009 at 11:30 pm
Pekin UrgentCare is a ridiculous joke! The cost to go there has always been outrageous with hidden fees, etc. We have always expressed that we want the Urgent Care, not ER, but they say it is up to them, so forget taking a child there, because they will bill it as ER. My DH went there and was charged $161 to have his ear checked due to infection. It should have cost our $10 copay. We are still fighting this one. We will NEVER EVER go there again!!
As for Methodist, it is unbelievable that they no longer are open during the week. What is going on with a town of this size and has no decent Urgent Care? Morton gets our business now (which they have 3 to choose from) as they have the choices that Pekin should have (esp. since Pekin is larger).
We have already had to use the Methodist Urgent Care in Morton for our daughter thanks to a peditrician that decided to ‘up and move’.
Guess our new ped. will be in Morton too! Now if we could just move there …
3
Knight in Dragonland
// Jan 4, 2009 at 9:51 am
As I said in the post, I think the idea of moving the Urgent Care is to get rid of those “hidden fees” so it can truly be an Urgent Care and not ER overflow. Blame the insurance companies, not the hospitals. They refuse to distinguish between an ER and an Urgent Care if they are contiguous, like Pekin was before this move.
However, I don’t think this is being done out of the kindness of Pekin Hospital’s administrative heart as a humble service to the community (as they’ve portrayed it in the media). It’s a move to be more competitive, and the biggest local competitor is Methodist. That’s a perfectly legitimate reason – and the people utilizing Pekin’s Urgent Care are getting a better deal no matter what the reason for it – but it’s not as sexy for the ad campaign.
4
Jenny
// Jan 4, 2009 at 11:07 pm
Yes, I am sure it is not altruistic on the hospital’s part but either way, I am happy that we will have a choice in Pekin (and the only choice during the week). Thanks for the insight though.
Leave a Comment