Chicago-area hospital system cuts 100 jobs across multiple hospitals, clinics
The move comes after Illinois Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth sent the for-profit hospital group a letter citing concerns about recent cuts and reductions in services
By Francie Swidler • Published June 11, 2025 • Updated on June 11, 2025 at 3:05 pm
Prime Healthcare, a California-based hospital group that now owns several Ascension hospitals in Illinois, will cut approximately 100 jobs across its eight hospital sites and clinics in the Chicago area.
The primarily for-profit hospital group confirmed the cuts in an email to NBC Chicago Wednesday, saying “staffing consolidations” began last week. They are expected to conclude next month.
According to a Prime spokesperson, the positions being cut are “duplicated, or not aligned with the care model and service line offerings.” Prime also said that none of the jobs were union positions, and most positions did not directly provide patient care.
“Comparable positions are being offered, and all those involved are being invited to apply for any of the more than 900 open positions across our Prime Illinois facilities,” the spokesperson said.
Prime went on to say the cuts will “not affect” quality of care delivered by its facilities. It also said the decision will “help expand best practices from across the nation.”
The job cuts come amid other major changes the hospital system has undergone since being acquired by Prime less than four months ago.
In April the Illinois Department of Health revoked the Level II trauma center status for Mercy Medical Center in Aurora due to its “absence of essential services,” which meant severely injured patients must be transported to other hospitals. When asked by NBC Chicago about the status loss, Prime said it was the one withdrawing the hospital’s designation, adding the level II status “does not accurately represent the emergency care needs of those patients.”
Earlier this year, Prime moved to suspend pediatric inpatient care at another one of its suburban hospitals.
In March of 2025, Prime acquired the hospital system, which consists of Holy Family Medical Center in Des Plaines; Mercy Medical Center in Aurora; Resurrection Medical Center in Chicago; Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston; Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet; Saint Joseph Hospital in Elgin; St. Mary’s Hospital in Kankakee, and Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital in Chicago. Six of the hospitals sold changed from being nonprofit hospitals to for-profit as part of the sale.
The $375 million deal also included seven senior living facilities across Chicago and the suburbs.
In a press release at the time, Prime also said it was “committing $250 million to invest in facility upgrades, capital improvements, substantial technology investments and system upgrades.”
A May 20 letter sent to Prime CEO Prem Reddy from Illinois Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth expressed concern over the recent decisions made by the system, citing a commitment the hospital system made in March to not make changes to services or levels of care provided for at least two years.
“Unfortunately, the decisions that have followed since have led to the discontinuation of several critical health care services,” the letter said. “Prime Healthcare has only operated these eight Illinois hospitals for two months, and there are already profound concerns about patients losing access to care.”
The letter went on to ask Prime if it planned to cut more services at its Illinois hospitals in the future.
According to Prime, the decisions made at its Illinois hospitals are “guided by our mission to improve quality, strengthen care delivery, preserve access in underserved areas and ensure long-term sustainability.”