MetroSouth Alternatives (?)

A few years ago, I went to the Oak Forest hospital for a free TB test as a requirement to work in home healthcare. Upon telling the officer at the gate why I was there, I was directed where to park and to enter a door on the north side. Once inside, there was an extremely long corridor and NOBODY was in sight. The corridor was like two blocks long.

As I quietly walked along, I passed one nurse’s station after another on the left and empty stretchers and wheelchairs on the right. There was complete silence. (If these walls could talk.) The eeriest part were the clocks on the wall. Every clock at each nurse’s station was stopped at a different time. 11 minutes after 2:00 … 40 minutes after 6:00 … It would never be known if the clocks stopped in the day or night. Each clock likely continued ticking after the employees and patients moved out and were pronounced dead in their own time.

Finally, I heard the ding of an elevator. I thought of ducking behind a partitioned wall but just stood there looking at the elevator. A lady in burgundy scrubs stepped out and was startled to see me. I told her this place would be a great scene for a horror movie. She agreed and said it was very spooky working there and directed me where to go. It was such a shame that a place that once served a purpose and gleamed with life, now sat empty. Such is the threat with MetroSouth.  

The Daily Southtown reported last month that MetroSouth operators said “that years of decreasing patient volumes, increasing market saturation, reduced insurance reimbursement and ongoing operational losses” contributed to the hospital’s decision to likely close unless finding a buyer. The concern here is that officials have known for a couple years of the peril and have spoken to “nearly 40 healthcare organizations but none were willing to operate MetroSouth as a full-service community hospital (hold that thought).” By the time the public gets notice, everyone is in a scrambling state of mayday.

The latter two cited reasons I understand firsthand from working in healthcare. First, regarding “reduced insurance reimbursement,” Medicare and Medicaid allow patients to get care upfront (services and drugs), but it takes a long time for the service provider to get reimbursed from the government. Meanwhile, the service provider has to pay monthly expenses and it’s like trying to fill a bucket with a hole in it. The government may also only reimburse a lesser amount than the actual cost of the service.

Second, “ongoing operational losses,” is something that is more likely in a hospital because of the 24/7 operation. It’s harder to run a tight ship with hundreds of employees. Years ago, I worked at MetroSouth for a short period of time and found some practices disturbing. We’re talking thousands of dollars wasted on a monthly basis. These practices would obviously catch up with them. I was not there long enough to request help. Proper training and all three shifts working closer together could have helped reduce this loss. 

Let’s think about why there are “decreased patients.” Nowadays, there is a lot of emphasis on preventative care, especially with all the cancer screenings, etc. Before drug stores offered flu shots, I had to make an appointment with a doctor. Advances in equipment have allowed many outpatient services. Urgent care facilities have lightened the load of emergency rooms. Maintenance medicine has kept people out of hospitals and increased lifespan. Has all this contributed to hospitals possibly becoming obsolete? Instead of being a double-edged sword, maybe we should go with the natural flow. We may need to consider repurposing the hospital instead of just closing it, which would leave an all-or-nothing result.

Apparently, there is a problem with MetroSouth having 314 beds that they can’t fill. Well, do we want an epidemic just to fill the beds with sick people? Why can’t the number of hospital beds be downsized to accommodate the actual need? Instead of eliminating a full-service hospital, what does the hospital have that is still serving a purpose? The Daily Southtown reported that MetroSouth’s outpatient center is being diligently pursued.  

Since patients are spending less time hospitalized and living longer, where will all of these aging folks live? A hospital offers a skeletal framework that can accommodate BOTH an independent living facility, as well as an assisted living one. Assisted living facilities need a medical staff (that is already there). Seniors are vulnerable to broken bones, joint replacements, etc., and often need physical therapy. A rehabilitation facility is already there. Ambulances make frequent trips to senior-living facilities, and again, medical staff is already there.

MetroSouth also has a built-in cafeteria, a fitness center, an outdoor garden/refuge space. Why can’t some sections be consolidated for certain purposes while renting out space for the growing senior population? According to Crowe LLP Healthcare, “If hospitals want to remain vital to their communities, they must change. Repurposing is always expensive. The question they have to ask themselves is can they afford not to (Modern Healthcare, 2015).” Remember, 40 healthcare organizations were unwilling to operate MetroSouth as a full-service community hospital. What about a partial-service one combined with something else? A training or educational facility is also a possibility especially with Moraine Valley nearby.

Hospitals closing is not just here in Illinois. In October, 2017, the Harvard Business Review reported that since the beginning of 2016, the financial performance of hospitals and health systems in the United States has significantly worsened. “The root cause is twofold: a mismatch between organizations’ strategies and actual market demand, and a lack of operational discipline.” Again, I’m thinking of the preventable waste that I witnessed.

Blue Island obviously stands to lose a lot here, but what about the surrounding communities? Calumet Park Mayor Ronald Denson said he was surprised by the lack of notice or engagement prior to the announcement, given area residents’ reliance on MetroSouth for a variety of health services and the critical role of MetroSouth in Calumet Park’s emergency management plans. “Although all impacts haven’t been defined, given the sudden notice, the closure would certainly affect fire and police department operations and require revisions of emergency management plans for area municipalities.”  

Mayor Denson further stated that he has actively engaged with municipalities in the area that will be impacted by the closure, as well as elected officials representing the area, since the notice was received.  “In particular, I have been in close contact with leadership for the municipalities served by the Cal-Comm 911 Center to discuss shared concerns and assess impacts of this sudden development.”

The Village of Calumet Park is hosting a press conference, Tuesday, July 23, 11:00 a.m., at the Village Hall (12409 S. Throop St.) for residents and officials of all communities affected by the abrupt closure of MetroSouth. All are encouraged to attend.

The above article was submitted to the FORUM on July 15, 2019, and published for their July issue.