Prime Healthcare is drawing criticism after announcing it will stop obstetrics services at three Chicago-area hospitals
St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet, Mercy Medical Center in Aurora, and Resurrection Medical Center in Chicago’s Norwood Park neighborhood will suspend all OB services on Oct. 1.
The company plans to centralize OB care at two other hospitals — St. Mary of Nazareth in Ukrainian Village and Olympia Fields Hospital in south suburban Olympia Fields
U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Illinois), a registered nurse whose district contains Mercy Medical Center, said the company does not appear to have adequately prepared for what she called “speedy closures.”
“They have made no plans to help moms who will have to travel for care access transportation, or even any efforts to understand how this decision will affect their health,” Underwood wrote. “Prime’s justification for the decision hinges on Silver Cross Hospital taking on St. Joseph patients, and Edward Hospital taking on Mercy Medical patients, but Prime confirmed in our meeting today that at least one of those transfer agreements isn’t even in place. This carelessness puts moms and babies in our community at risk.”
Prime Healthcare took over eight Ascension Illinois hospitals in 2025
