West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park started resuming its hospital-based clinics and testing services in a “graduated manner” on Wednesday, according to the hospital’s owner.
Dr. Manoj Prasad, the owner of West Suburban and its private parent company Resilience Healthcare, said in a statement that the hospital is resuming primary care clinics first and will soon start opening specialist clinics.
West Suburban’s main campus in Oak Park closed suddenly late last month because employees couldn’t be paid amid complications with the medical center’s records system. Prasad said it was a temporary closure and later pledged to reopen by summer.
The return of outpatient services comes a day after Prasad sued his business partner who issued eviction notices for all of Resilience Healthcare’s hospital properties. The five-day notices demanded Prasad pay nearly $25 million in back rent.
“Getting the clinic back open and getting patients scheduled is our first priority,” Prasad said. “We are slowly bringing staff back and rebuilding operations step by step.”
In a statement, State Rep. La Shawn Ford, whose district includes parts of Oak Park, said while he hopes for services at West Suburban to resume, he lacks “confidence in the current situation.”
“The evolving circumstances necessitate clear and responsible oversight from the state,” Ford said. “Patient safety is paramount, and any reopening should involve appropriate agencies, including the Illinois Department of Public Health. It is crucial that this process be a community-led effort, ensuring that the voices and needs of our patients and community members are prioritized as we work together toward a safe and effective reopening.”
He added: “We need to make sure that the state has authorized Resilience Health and Dr. Manoj Prasad to reopen West Suburban Medical Center, and that there is a clear operational plan and assurance that all safety and operational procedures are in place to ensure compliance with state regulatory requirements and patient safety standards. Patient safety is the priority.”
Existing West Suburban patients are being contacted by phone and email to schedule appointments. Some employees are returning after being furloughed, but a spokesperson for Prasad said the exact number of returning staff was still being determined.
The general surgery clinic is expected to resume next week. The emergency room and inpatient services remain closed. Outpatient clinics are only reopening at the Oak Park campus at this time.
According to Prasad’s statement, resuming outpatient care is possible because of revenue regained after the hospital’s electronic medical record system failed to properly bill for services. The hospital initiated a plan to get caught up on about 120,000 outstanding billing claims.
Contributing: Kristen Schorsh