SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Department of Public Health has fined Oak Park Healthcare Center $10,000 (Statement of Violation), for failure to seek timely emergency care for a resident having a seizure. The 204-bed skilled and intermediate care facility is located at 625 N. Harlem Ave. in Oak Park.

Responding to a complaint, the Department learned it took 75 minutes from the time the resident's seizures began until they were controlled by paramedics.

An employee told Department surveyors he requested an ambulance five minutes after the seizures started and then called the resident's physician. According to ambulance and hospital records, however, the physician was not called until more than a half hour after the resident's seizures began and an ambulance was not summoned until after the employee talked to the physician.

In addition, staff did not follow facility procedures for monitoring and responding to a seizure and did not recognize the severity of the seizures.

A Department-ordered plan of correction required the facility to develop written policies and procedures for medical emergencies and to ensure staff follows them.

Oak Park Healthcare Center has requested a hearing on the Department's action. No hearing date has been set.