The City that Works...Is Broken

Sad goodbyes follow layoffs at hospital | Chicago Tribune

How would you feel if you scheduled an appointment for much needed surgery, waited over a year only to be told its canceled and you need to go to another facility? You would probably feel as these Provident Hospital patients feel, devastated. Not only are these patients feeling it, but the physicians and nurses laid off due to the Cook County budget cuts are also feeling of the cuts as well. Many Provident hospital's patients have been referred to Stroger Hospital. The waiting list for an appointment at Stroger hospital is six months, and surgery over a year.

"The county health system's interim head, Dr. Robert Simon, defended the elimination of Provident's orthopedic division. Only 333 orthopedic surgeries were performed there last year -- a volume that can be handled at Stroger, he said." - Chicago Tribune.

Provident's Orthopedic division saw over 6,000 patients.