Before Tonight's Meeting, Weiss Hospital Details Plans To Expand Hospital Services

Photo from Weiss Hospital'sFacebook page

Tonight is the meeting where legislators and the public will learn more about what the new owners propose for the hospital. (See previous posts here and here.)

This morning Pipeline Health sent a press release about plans to expand services at Weiss:

"Weiss Hospital Opens Outpatient Behavioral Health Program 

Marks expansion of services at Weiss 

Grand Opening Set for November 

CHICAGO — Louis A. Weiss Memorial Hospital, a member of the Pipeline Health System, today announced it will open an outpatient behavioral health program. This is just the latest in a series of significant investments made in the hospital’s health care services and facilities since the change of ownership in January.

The new outpatient program will initially have the capacity to serve 14-24 clients at any one time in either one of two settings: Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) and Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP). This outpatient program will build on Weiss Hospital’s inpatient acute behavioral health services. As a result, Weiss will be able to offer a full range of comprehensive behavioral health services to provide the specific care individuals need.

“We’ve worked closely with our partners in the community to develop much-needed outpatient behavioral health services. Now Weiss will be able to better meet the behavioral health needs of the Uptown community and nearby neighborhoods,” said Weiss Hospital CEO Mary Shehan. “We look forward to continuing to expand the health care services Weiss provides and this is just the latest that shows our commitment to the area.”

In January 2019, Weiss became a member of the Pipeline Health System. This has allowed significant resources to be invested in the health care services Weiss provides to the surrounding community, as well as investments in the hospital’s physical and IT infrastructure.

In fact, the investments over the last nine months and the planned investments, barring any additional obstacles placed by lawmakers, are nearly as much as the previous owner invested during its decade-long ownership. Some of those investments under the new ownership include:

• Added three new primary care physicians and 15 new specialists.
• Growing the Women’s Health Program.
• Growing Gender Confirmation and Reconstructive Urology programs. 

While growing its programs, the quality of care at Weiss has also been a focus, as shown by maintaining the Joint Commission Accreditation as a Primary Stroke Hospital and Orthopedic Knee/Hip Total Joint Hospital and being designated an “Employer of Choice” for the Uptown Community.

In addition to the medical care improvements, there have been important infrastructure investments too. A new $10 million Electronic Medical Record System is being implemented to replace the current system, a relic from two previous owners. Major renovations of the parking structure are also underway. 

You can hear more about Pipeline and Weiss's future tonight, at Weiss Hospital (Wilson and Clarendon) between 6pm and 8pm. The meeting is sponsored by and will be attended by Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, Rep. Greg Harris, and Ald. James Cappleman."