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Lincoln, IL 62656
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To the editor: Congratulations, Lincoln. We had the privilege of
attending the opening and ribbon-cutting of the new Abraham Lincoln
Memorial Hospital and Springfield Clinic. As we listened to the
speakers and toured the modern, state-of-the-art building, we
thought of the sheer pride our father, Emil Stahlhut, would have
felt for the forward thinking that this building represents in the
Lincoln community.
During the 30 years that he was CEO, Mr. Stahlhut oversaw many
changes in health care, including the advent of personal health
insurance and of Medicare and Medicaid. He was considered ahead of
his time when he encouraged doctors who had been practicing
independently in the area to come together and have a joint practice
at ALMH (a precursor to the Family Medical Group). That allowed
Lincoln to recruit new doctors and made it possible for specialists
from larger hospitals to come weekly to Lincoln to see their
patients. He also started the 24-hour emergency room, the
hospital-based ambulance and paramedic system in Lincoln, the
hospice program, the Logan County Mental Health Clinic, and the
Logan County Health Department. These were all momentous changes at
the time and did not come easily.
[to top of second column in this letter] |
Although Mr. Stahlhut spearheaded all of these changes, they
would not have taken off without the collaboration and support of
the Lincoln community looking to the future in making these
difficult decisions. The community has been able to stretch beyond
the "usual and customary" and strive for quality.
Congratulations on your new hospital and physician clinic and for
continuing to be a leader in meeting the medical needs in central
Illinois.
Also we extend a warm thank-you from our family for honoring our
father with the naming of Stahlhut Drive -- the new address for the
building (and good luck on the spelling!).
From proud former Lincolnites,
The Stahlhut family
[Posted
March 18, 2011]
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