The Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board voted 8-1 Nov. 5 to approve the closure of the inpatient pediatric unit at Joliet, Ill.-based St. Joseph Medical Center, part of Ontario, Calif.-based Prime Healthcare, the Chicago Tribune reported.
The hospital suspended inpatient pediatric care in April 2025, and the board vote allows the hospital to permanently discontinue the service, according to a statement from a hospital spokesperson shared with Becker’s.
Inpatient pediatric volumes fell to fewer than one patient per day in 2024, a trend that continued through 2025 and into 2026, the spokesperson said.
St. Joseph has a transfer agreement with Endeavor Health Edward Hospital in Naperville, Ill., about 20 miles away, for children who need inpatient or specialized care, the Tribune reported.
The same day, the board also unanimously approved Chicago-based Lurie Children’s plan to build a $480 million pediatric hospital in Downers Grove, Ill.
St. Joseph said it is focusing on unmet community needs, including recent expansions in mental health care and geriatric emergency care.
