BLUE ISLAND, Ill. – MetroSouth Medical Center will immediately stop accepting new patients. Additionally, the hospital will temporarily suspend the general emergency department and the obstetrics emergency department. By temporarily suspending these services the hospital is better positioned to dedicate its remaining resources to patients currently in the hospital.
The hospital is in the process of contacting all expectant mothers who were scheduled to deliver after today.
The decision to temporarily suspend the services comes after the hospital’s independent general surgery group on Monday submitted its resignation, effective Sept. 20. As a result of that decision, the hospital will no longer have physician surgical coverage for emergent patients or women in labor requiring surgery, forcing the hospital to transfer patients to other facilities.
Additionally, the physician groups providing oncology and emergency services submitted notice they will cease all services for the hospital later this month.
In addition to the loss of surgical coverage, nearly 15% of staff has left and the hospital’s cardiac catherization lab was temporarily suspended in August due to understaffing.
“Patient care and safety is our highest priority,” said CEO John Walsh. “We intend to take every step necessary to avoid impacting our ability to provide a safe level of care to our patients.”
For community members experiencing a medical emergency, please visit one of the eight local facilities better positioned to provide appropriate patient care.
The hospital will provide ongoing updates related to all other service lines.
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