THE LOOP (WBBM Newsradio) -- A Cook County judge Friday ordered the owner of two closed hospitals to the north and west of downtown to surrender control of those facilities to a new operator, who could be selected as soon as next week.
The ruling by Judge Patrick Stanton could clear the way for those "safety net" hospitals to re-open soon, and advocates say the ruling will improve health care for everyone.
"When that pain hits, you need somebody who's going to respond," Aaron Sanders of the Coalition To Save West Suburban Hospital told reporters during an appearance in Daley Plaza before Friday's receivership hearing, noting that heart attacks, pain or allergic reactions can hit people at any time, even outside their home neighborhoods: "Many times, it's safety net hospitals that are in those pockets or in those corners."
But the owner of West Suburban in Oak Park and Weiss Memorial Hospital in Uptown closed both facilities. Advocates want a new operator to run them. Weiss is in the ward of Chicago Ald. Angela Clay (46th Ward), who said she was "disgusted that we have to stand here and ask for the bare minimum."
Sanders said federal Medicaid cuts have put all of Illinois' safety-net hospitals in jeopardy, and a new state law keeping hospitals' financial records private means people may lose a valuable health care resource without even realizing it: "We (will) put the pressure on our elected officials Downstate."
Judge Stanton is expected to name a new operator for those hospitals during a hearing Tuesday.
Ruling will put closed "safety net" facilities under new management
Ruling will put closed "safety net" facilities under new management
