Vista East, part of Waukegan-based Vista Health System, implemented the furloughs to cut costs. Kevin Spiegel, CEO of Vista Health, did not provide the Tribune with a timeframe of the furlough extension.
Instead, the hospital has hired 35 full-time nurses to help meet patient needs to move closer to profitability as the hospital continues to operate at a loss.
“Our focus is in hiring full-time nurses and not administrative and ancillary personnel,” Mr. Spiegel told the publication. “They will provide the bedside care our patients need.”
The hospital was acquired by Glendale, Calif.-based American Health Systems for $23.5 million in July 2023, and the facility came with an existing debt. AHS also paid $15 million for new hospital equipment. In February 2024, the hospital lost its level 2 trauma center resignation, but it was reinstated in March 2024.
Vista East is also under investigation by state health officials and police for the late January 2025 death of a 28-year-old woman who was found unconscious on the hospital’s roof. The patient’s family has filed a wrongful death suit, the Tribune said.
Through the furloughs and hiring of 35 full-time nurses, Mr. Spiegel said the hospital aims to lessen its overall payroll expenses and boost revenue by becoming a designated safety-net hospital through the Illinois Department of Health and Family Services.
Becker’s has reached out to Vista Health for comment and will update this story should more information become available.
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