DECATUR - Some people might think it taboo to discuss religion and politics at a business lunch - unless religion and politics are your business.

That happened to be the case Tuesday afternoon when members of St. Mary's Hospital leadership gathered with state Sen. Frank Watson, R-Greenville, as part of the Illinois Hospital Association's mini-residency program.

Watson, the Senate minority leader, toured different areas of the hospital - including the adolescent behavioral unit and the pain management center - for the purposes of connecting more directly with the way local hospitals and the health care system operate, and developing a better understanding of how legislative actions affect institutions, employees and patients.

Watson started his day watching St. Mary's surgeon Dr. John White perform a laparoscopic gallbladder surgery. Watson watched over White's shoulder as he inserted trochars into the patient's abdomen and images of the surgery flashed up on flat-panel monitors. He folded his tan arms across his chest, and his eyes cast an intense stare over his surgical mask, which revealed a hint of salt-and-pepper scruff at its edges.

"We have one more after this that you're going to do," White joked. "¦ I hope you were taking good notes."

Following the surgery, White spoke candidly with Watson about some of the costs of the surgery he had just witnessed and the lack of efficiency of Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements.

"In order to stay in business, you have to depend on the commercial payers to make up for the difference," White said.

Watson changed out of his blue surgical scrubs and into a white coat with "Senator Frank Watson" embroidered on it in blue. Around the lunch table were hospital Administrator Kevin Kast, Chief Operating Officer Theresa Rutherford, community relations Director Kelly Hazenfield, White, local attorney and hospital board member Jon Robinson, and Sisters JoAn Schullian, Chaminade Kelley and Jocelyn Serwatka.

Kast explained some of the changes coming to St. Mary's in the near future, such as TomoTherapy, a cancer treatment coming in April, and a new emergency room, which will require state approval. Serwatka praised Watson's work on issues such as medical malpractice and public education.

"But I'm glad that you are learning more about health issues today because there's a big need up there, I think, for the legislators to really be cognizant of the challenges that hospitals have," Serwatka said, "And so anyway, I'm just grateful you're here to hear all of this."

"Well it's my pleasure," Watson said. "Thanks for having me."

"And I'll be following you," Serwatka said.

Annie Getsinger can be reached at agetsinger@herald-review.com or 421-6968.