Community pushes to reopen two closed Chicago-area hospitals
Community pushes to reopen two closed Chicago-area hospitals
Community advocates, residents and health care leaders are pushing for the reopening of two Chicago-area hospitals that closed last year.
CHICAGO - Community advocates, residents and health care leaders are pushing for the reopening of two Chicago-area hospitals that closed last year.
Push to reopen two Chicago-area hospitals
The backstory:
The Coalition to Save Safety-Net Hospitals held a town hall Monday at Malcolm X College focused on the future of Weiss Memorial Hospital in Uptown and West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park.
Weiss Memorial closed last year, followed by West Suburban Medical Center. Advocates say the closures have left residents with fewer options for accessible and affordable health care.
Speakers at the town hall included residents who said they now have to travel farther to receive care, as well as former hospital employees who said they are still looking for work.
The coalition is calling for a plan to restore hospital services at both sites and says state leaders should play a role in funding, oversight and finding potential new ownership.
The group also criticized State Sen. Don Harmon and State Rep. Camille Lilly for not attending the town hall. Organizers said both lawmakers were invited well in advance.
Harmon and Lilly were contacted for comment but had not responded as of Monday evening.
Dig deeper:
The coalition says the two hospitals collectively owe the state about $100 million in loans and unpaid taxes, in addition to about $24 million in grants, according to the group.
Advocates say reopening the hospitals is possible, but would require a long-term commitment, responsible new ownership and cooperation among state leaders, health care officials and the community.
What's next:
Organizers say Monday’s town hall was only the first step. The group plans to continue meeting and pushing for a state hearing.
The coalition meets Thursdays from 6-8 p.m. at Friendship Baptist Church and is encouraging residents to attend and learn more about how they can get involved.
The Source: The information in this article was reported by FOX Chicago's Leslie Moreno.