Patients coming first and keeping services close to home are the driving themes for Northwestern Medicine’s progress during these pandemic times according to Kishwaukee and Valley West Hospitals President Jay Anderson, this week’s speaker at Rotary.  Anderson said he is proud of the integration of the hospitals into the Northwestern Medicine system since their merger in 2015.  He said the merger also resulted in the hospitals being listed in national rankings for studies and procedures.  Among the clinical areas recognized for their program advancements are cardiology, neurology, pulmonology, maternal/fetal telehealth, neonatology, and breast cancer treatment.
 
Anderson noted the hospital system is making significant capital investments locally.  A $10-million rehab of the Kishwaukee Hospital emergency room will begin next month.  Clinic upgrades valued at $25 million are slated to begin this year.  Anderson also noted there were  robust services added for outpatient infusions and Midwest Orthopaedic Institute (M-O-I) was acquired by the Northwestern system in the fall of last year.
 
Anderson gave an encouraging report on the battle to overcome the Covid-19 virus.  He said there is a significant downward trend in the number of local COVID-19 cases.  The positivity rate for COVID-19 cases in of DeKalb County is 3.78% versus a high of near 25% in the earlier stages of the pandemic.  Anderson said testing is no longer a problem, rather the focus is now on vaccine inoculations.  Despite some issues with distribution of vaccines through federal and state channels, Anderson said local collaborations with the DeKalb County Health Department are excellent.  Still, he urged patience in waiting for a vaccination until supplies begin to become more plentiful.  Anderson concluded his remarks by expressing a “thank you” to the community for their support of the hospitals’ medical staff during these trying times of the pandemic.

February 20, 1473 – The father of modern astronomy, Nicolaus Copernicus, is born in Torun, Poland.
 
February 15, 1809 - Inventor and industrialist Cyrus McCormick is born in Rockbridge County, Virginia.  He invents a horse-drawn mechanical reaper contributing to development and cultivation of vast areas of the American Great Plains.  His reaper forms the basis of International Harvester Corporation (founded in Canton, Illinois in 1902). 
 
February 15, 1820 – Pioneering women’s rights advocate Susan B. Anthony is born in Adams, Massachusetts.
 
February 18, 1892 – American politician Wendell Willkie is born in Elwood, Indiana.  He was the Republican nominee for President in 1940 waging an unsuccessful campaign in Franklin D. Roosevelt’s bid for an unprecedented third term as President.

February 15, 1898 – The U. S. Battleship Maine was blown up while in Havana harbor with 260 crew members lost.  Inflamed public opinion (“Remember the Maine”) led to a declaration of war against Spain.
 
February 14, 1929 – The infamous St. Valentine’s Day massacre occurred in Chicago when seven members of the Bugs Moran gang were gunned down by five of Al Capone’s mobsters posing as police.
 
February 15, 1933 – An assassination attempt on newly-elected President Franklin D. Roosevelt occurred in Miami, Florida.  A spectator deflected the gunman’s aim but Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak was shot and killed instead.
 
February 20, 1962 – Astronaut John Glenn became thee first American launched into orbit traveling in the “Friendship 7” spacecraft.