According to Franciscan St. James Health’s plan, Chicago Heights’ in-patient and emergency services will be moved to St. James Hospital in Olympia Fields.
Faced with ongoing massive operating losses, Franciscan St. James Health aired its plan to end inpatient services at its Chicago Heights hospital to a hearing Tuesday held by the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board.
That board is tentatively scheduled to vote March 29 on the proposal, which calls for boosting outpatient services at that hospital while expanding St. James’ Olympia Fields hospital as well as its Franciscan ExpressCare urgent care center in Chicago Heights.
First responders expressed concern that merging all emergency care at the Olympia Fields location could result in longer ambulance transport times, and the possibility of the Olympia Fields hospital’s emergency room having to go on bypass due to high patient loads…Please click here to read Mike Nolan’s story in the Tribune/Daily Southtown.