Ingalls Memorial Hospital Flossmoor Center Reopens With State Aid

FLOSSMOOR, IL — The University of Chicago Ingalls Memorial Hospital reopened its urgent care location in Flossmoor on Tuesday, officials said, after being closed temporarily to free up staff to help amidst a COVID-19 surge in the south suburbs.

In an email sent to Ingall's employees last month from Randy Neiswonger, president of Ingalls Memorial Hospital, staff were told the hospital's Urgent Aid location would be shut down beginning Dec. 29 at 7 a.m. and closed until further notice.

Staff who usually worked in the Urgent Aid department were moved to emergency care locations in Calumet City and Tinley Park. Now, federal travel nurses and other support staff have made it possible for the hospital's 24-hour center to reopen starting Tuesday at 7 a.m.

"UChicago Medicine’s frontline staff have faced incredible pressures throughout this pandemic and are rising to the challenge in a way that’s nothing short of heroic," said Tom Jackiewicz, chief operating officer of Ingalls.

"While we’ve worked internally to support our teams by redeploying staff and hiring additional workers, we’re incredibly grateful to get this much-needed assistance from state and federal teams," he said. "This help is a welcome relief to our caregivers and support staff who’ve been working tirelessly for nearly two years to provide care for our patients and the community.”

A spokeswoman for the hospital told Patch officials will continue to evaluate the hospital's situation every two days to determine if more extra staff is needed. The rest of the hospital remained opened throughout the temporary closure to see established patients.