June 8, 2010
Oak Park Leaves
By Chris LaFortune

West Suburban Medical Center and Westlake Hospital can be sold to Vanguard Health System, a state review board said Tuesday.

Members of the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board voted unanimously to approve the sale by Resurrection Health Care during their meeting in Springfield.

Leading up to the approval, Vanguard promised it will keep West Suburban in Oak Park and Westlake in Melrose Park as acute care facilities for at least three years.

Vanguard hopes to have the sale completed within the next month, Vanguard spokesman David Goldenberg said.

While West Suburban and Westlake have lost a combined $166 million over the past five years, critics of the sale have worried that Vanguard intends to close either or both hospitals or change their missions.

On Monday, Vanguard announced that it was committed to keeping both West Suburban and Westlake open as acute care medical centers for at least three years, adding a year to a previous promise.

"In addition, they've made a commitment of an initial capital investment of $15 million over the next three years," Goldenberg said Monday.

Vanguard will establish community relations committees at both facilities, which will meet regularly, Goldenberg said.

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