State Policy · IL
Illinois Board Approves St. Joseph Medical Center Pediatric Unit Closure
The Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board voted 8-1 on Nov. 5 to approve permanent closure of the inpatient pediatric unit at Prime Healthcare's St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet, the Chicago Tribune reported. The hospital had suspended inpatient pediatric care in April 2025 after volumes fell to fewer than one patient per day in 2024, a trend that continued through 2025 and into 2026, a hospital spokesperson said. St. Joseph has a transfer agreement with Endeavor Health Edward Hospital in Naperville, about 20 miles away, for children needing inpatient or specialized care. The same day, the board unanimously approved Lurie Children's plan to build a $480 million pediatric hospital in Downers Grove.
Why it mattersState Medicaid agencies and pediatric providers in the Joliet area may need to account for shifted inpatient pediatric referral patterns as children are routed to Endeavor Health Edward Hospital and the planned Lurie Children's facility in Downers Grove.