St. Francis Hospital May Get Second Chance

By Prescott Carlson in News on Apr 19, 2008 4:38PM

Just a few weeks ago we noted that St. Francis Hospital in Blue Island was going to close, because nobody was interested in buying it or even taking it over for the cool price of zero dollars. Now the Blue Island city council wants to ruin Pinko's plans and have passed a resolution granting the Mayor the authority to do whatever, whenever in order to keep the hospital open for business.

"Our ultimate goal is to maintain the facility, maintain the staff and hopefully bring in additional staff and services," [Mayor Donald Peloquin] said.

Barbara Holt, district director for U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush (D-1st), of Chicago, attended the meeting and said Rush would do all he could to save St. Francis.

Blue Island resident Patricia Monroe, a St. Francis employee, said Peloquin had given her a "lot of hope, and I have a lot of confidence in him."

Peloquin reassured workers and residents that St. Francis closing is not guaranteed, and there still is hope to find a buyer.

The hospital's financial woes stem from the large number of uninsured and Medicaid patients that are admitted. [Southtown Star]

Photo from the St. Francis website