'Saint Joseph Is Now Part Of A System Recognized By Newsweek As A Best Workplace:' Prime Healthcare Reveals

(The following statement was issued on Monday afternoon by Noel True, regional vice president of communications and public relations with Prime Healthcare, in response to the Illinois Nursing Association press conference held earlier in the day.)

JOLIET, IL — Saint Joseph Medical Center experienced a period of significant financial distress, including approximately $90 million in annual losses until it was saved by Prime Healthcare; despite significant challenges, hundreds of jobs have been saved and created, all union positions retained and collective bargaining agreement honored—including staffing provisions negotiated with the INA.

, Saint Joseph is now part of a system recognized by Newsweek as a Best Workplace.

As a part of Prime Healthcare, Saint Joseph is now part of a system recognized by Newsweek as a Best Workplace. To ensure patient safety and quality, Saint Joseph suspended inpatient pediatrics due to consistently low volume—fewer than one patient per day—making it impossible to ensure quality, while expanding behavioral health services and geriatric emergency care (GEDA) to address critical community needs amidst a national mental health crisis. Over $104 million in investments have already been made directly into Illinois hospitals to expand services and technology to improve care.

Prime always places patient care and quality at the center of all we do and is nationally recognized for quality by U.S. News & World Report, the Lown Institute, and Healthgrades, and recently awarded unanimous approval by the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board to acquire Franciscan Health Olympia Fields, with praise offered for Prime’s service-line expansions and commitment to strengthening healthcare access across the state.

During the public review process, Lludid Maxinez, MSN, Cardiac Telemetry nurse at Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, said in a statement of support, “Prime’s investments will expand our ability to perform life-saving procedures. Prime is helping us build a stronger, safer future for every patient who walks through our doors.”

Our focus remains clear: to strengthen access to care, support our caregivers, and ensure Saint Joseph Medical Center remains a high-quality, trusted resource for the Joliet community for generations to come.