Save St. Elizabeth Hospital
Protect Critical Medical Services.

Resurrection Plans to Cut Community Health Care Unless We Act.
Resurrection Health Care, the second-largest health care system in Chicago, has requested state permits to "combine services" at St. Elizabeth and St. Mary hospitals, which it claims will "expand and enhance" services.

But according to the permit applications, Resurrection actually plans to:

*Cut 168 hospital beds.

*Close St. Elizabeth's pediatrics, obstetrics, intensive care and emergency room services – which are already struggling with overcrowding.

*Eliminate critical cardiac services at St. Elizabeth – with no plans for expansion at St. Mary.

Resurrection Ignores Community Concerns
When Resurrection purchased both hospitals, it assured regulators and the community that the transaction would benefit the community. The corporation has refused to listen to residents who are concerned about how these drastic cutbacks will impact access to care for children, expectant mothers and the elderly.

Help Save St. Elizabeth Hospital.
In a few weeks, the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board will decide whether to approve or deny Resurrection's request to effectively close St. Elizabeth. 

Today community leaders and residents are taking action and urging the Planning Board to DENY Resurrection's permits, and SAVE St. Elizabeth hospital.

Please take a moment to tell the Planning Board to protect critical community medical services.

 

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Save St. Elizabeth Hospital

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

Please do not allow Resurrection Health Care to close services at St. Elizabeth Hospital. For two years, RHC has ignored our communities' request for dialogue. Now they are ignoring our need for medical services.

Resurrection Health Care's brochures claim the hospital chain will "expand and enhance" services.

But Resurrection plans to:

*Close St. Elizabeth's pediatrics, obstetrics, intensive care and emergency room services, which are already struggling with overcrowding.

*Eliminate critical cardiac services at St. Elizabeth even though Heart Disease is the leading cause of death in West Town and Humboldt Park.

RHC is planning these cuts to save money. But RHC makes millions in profits every year. These service cuts will impact vital services for children, expectant mothers, and the elderly.

Please protect our communities' access to quality health care services and say NO to their permit request.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
October 21, 2005


Background Information

Employees of Resurrection Health Care (RHC) have been working with AFSCME Council 31 over the last year to form a union.  Employees from across the system are deeply concerned about how the health care chain is corporatizing once community hospitals, and moving them away from their historic missions to serve the poor.

 For over a century, St. Elizabeth hospital has provided critical health care services to generations of immigrants in one of Chicago’s most underserved communities. In 2001, Resurrection Health Care took over both St. Elizabeth and neighboring St. Mary of Nazareth. The corporation assured residents and state regulators that it would not reduce health care services – and would continue its long-standing mission of serving the community.

 

In July, Resurrection Health Care requested state permits to “combine services” at St. Elizabeth and St. Mary, which it claims will “expand and enhance” services.

But according to the permit applications, Resurrection actually plans to

*Cut 168 hospital beds.

*Close St. Elizabeth’s pediatrics, obstetrics, intensive care and emergency room services – which are already struggling with overcrowding.

*Eliminate critical cardiac services at St. Elizabeth – even though Heart Disease is the leading cause of death in West Town and Humboldt Park

Last year, St. Elizabeth served twice the number of uninsured patients seen by St. Mary, many needing the very services that will be cut. While the corporation claims its investment in St. Mary will benefit the community, nearly a third of the project cost is designated for non-clinical areas of the hospital—such as lobbies and administrative offices.