La Grange, Hinsdale Hospitals Busier Than Usual

LA GRANGE, IL – The emergency rooms in the Hinsdale and La Grange hospitals are experiencing higher volumes than usual lately, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.

The hospitals are owned by UChicago Medicine AdventHealth.

Because of the high volumes, people may have to stay in the emergency room until a room is ready in other areas of the hospital, the chain's associate vice president, Julie Busch, said in an email.

She said the hospitals are making every effort to have patients seen as quickly as possible.

"As patients are discharged, each room is thoroughly cleaned and prepared for the next patient," Busch said. "It doesn’t appear that we are experiencing a surge in COVID cases or flu, and the busy times seem to come in waves. The patients we are seeing have a high acuity, meaning they are very sick, and so it was very important for them to come into the ER to be seen by a physician."

Patch asked Busch about the situation last week after a Darien resident said his relative waited all night in La Grange's emergency room before she could be admitted.