Joliet's only hospital cuts inpatient pediatric care
JOLIET, Ill. (WGN) — The only hospital in Illinois' third-largest city has cut inpatient pediatric services and will transfer children to a hospital 19 miles away in Naperville.
St. Joseph Medical Center will close its pediatric unit with 20 beds beginning May 2 and for at least the next 12 months. Several nurses and two doctors will lose their jobs.
'We're just devastated. We're deeply heartbroken that this is happening,' pediatric nurse Kristi Edwards told WGN on Tuesday.
California-based Prime Healthcare bought the hospital and its sister Ascension Illinois properties in March. Employees said the company told them it wouldn't make any cuts for the first 18 months, giving them time to evaluate services and staffing. The company, however, slashed eight of St. Joseph's 14 operating rooms last month and is now doing away with the entire pediatric unit.
Edwards, who has worked at the medical center for nearly 30 years, said staff were informed of the closure on Monday.
'We were given only nine or 10 days to decide what we want to do,' she said. 'I mean, all of us were offered adult nursing jobs. We have no experience with the adult population.'
The Illinois Nurse's Association alleges the company violated their contract by not giving nurses a 30-day notice.
Prime Healthcare released a statement, saying: 'As community needs continue to evolve, we have seen a steady and significant decline in the demand for inpatient pediatric services, with the average inpatient census now less than one patient per day. At the same time, the need for advanced surgical, neurosurgical, and spinal care has grown. To best serve our community, we have made the difficult but necessary decision to suspend inpatient pediatric services and expand other needed critical service lines.'
Later this week, children in St. Joseph's pediatric unit will be transferred to Endeavor Health Edward Hospital in Naperville. Silver Cross in Lemont is another option for parents but is also several miles away.
'I think it's going to leave a big void in the community without a pediatric unit in Joliet,' Edwards said. 'I feel horrible for the families that rely on our hospital for pediatric services. It's not fair. It's not right.'
Prime Healthcare has 30 days to file with the Illinois Hospital Safety Board for approval on the changes.
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