Chicago-based Weiss Memorial Hospital evacuated its inpatient unit this week after its air conditioning system failed, the Chicago Sun-Times reported June 18.
Staff at the 239-bed acute care hospital discovered three of the four AC units were not working two weeks ago, Manoj Prasad, MD, PhD, the hospital’s owner and CEO, told the news outlet. The AC system was not maintained by the previous owners, according to the report.
Temperatures inside the hospital rose to 90 degrees. In response, the hospital stopped admitting new patients and canceled surgeries June 16. The next day, they discharged or transferred 45 patients.
The hospital’s outpatient areas and ED remain open. The ED has gone on diversion status, but is still accepting walk-in patients. If patients need to be admitted, they will be stabilized and transferred to another hospital, a hospital spokesperson told the Sun-Times.
One AC unit has been fixed, but the two remaining ones require parts. Dr. Prasad said he hopes the hospital will be back open in about two weeks.
