Chicago-based Ascension Saint Elizabeth will close and be repurposed as a community asset amid Ontario, Calif.-based Prime Healthcare's recent plans to acquire the hospital and eight other Midwest St. Louis-based Ascension hospitals in the first quarter of 2025.
"After prayerful discernment and extensive review of historical data, Ascension concluded that the patient community served by Ascension Saint Elizabeth can be better served by repurposing the hospital as a more valuable community resource; one that is able to address a broader spectrum of community needs," a spokesperson said in a joint statement shared with Becker's from Prime and Ascension. "Prime agreed with Ascension’s assessment and we have committed to advancing that goal."
Ascension Saint Elizabeth is a critical care 40-bed hospital that provides specialty and 24/7 emergency care on the northwest side of Chicago. It offers services including heart, cancer, orthopedics, stroke care and women's health in partnership with its sister campus, Ascension Saint Mary Chicago, according to Ascension's website.
The spokesperson did not provide a specific closure date for the hospital but said the systems plan to offer affected employees positions at other Prime or Ascension facilities.