The CEOs of Oak Park’s two largest employers – Rush Oak Park Hospital and West Suburban Medical Center, told residents at a public forum last week that increased demand at the two facilities means new equipment programs and possible future construction.
Rush CEO Bruce Elegant said at the forum hosted by Oak Park Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb that the hospital is seeing increased demand for emergency room services and the hospital’s cardiology department – which has tripled in size – in recent years, among other services.
“We had 275 more ambulance runs in 2015 than we did in 2014,” he said. “We’re in a 1969 emergency room that was built for half the number of patients than we’re seeing now.”
Expansion at Rush of the hospital is coming, but Elegant gave few details other than to promise that it would not encroach into the adjacent neighborhood.
“Obviously, our long-range plan has to include, among other things, a new emergency room facility to accommodate the demand from the community,” he said.
West Suburban CEO Patrick Maloney told a similar story about the hospital ER bursting at the seams, but there was not talk of expanding that facility.
“We have over 50,000 visits to that ER, and while we’re considered a community hospital we’re darn near a trauma center,” Maloney said, adding that the facility also has over 150,000 outpatient visits and we have roughly 2,000 deliveries a year.
The hospital was purchased by Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare, a network of more than 80 hospitals throughout the country, about two years ago, he said.
“There are a lot of advantages to having a company that has 80 hospitals because we can learn from each other,” he said.
Many residents objected to the construction of a new parking lot on the east side of the hospital last year, which resulted in the demolition of two homes in the neighborhood.
But resident Trina Sandschafer said hospital officials worked with neighbors on the design of the parking lot.
“I’m pleased to say that through several meetings we were able to get the landscaping we wanted, the fence we wanted and the certain lights that we wanted, so we were all pleased in the regard,” Sandschafer said.
Maloney praised the emergency room expansion plans at Rush – despite competing with the facility for patients – “because the last thing I want is neighbors being taken care of in the hallways [of the hospital].”
Maloney said he’s worked in hospitals more reminiscent of a MASH unit than a city hospital emergency room.
“Put the big picture in front of you,” he said. “When you go to the ER, do you want a four-hour wait or a two-hour wait or a one-hour wait?
“You need to be able to have the capacity to handle the patients, and the volume that Bruce is seeing deserves that,” Maloney said.
CONTACT: tim@oakpark.com