Provident Hospital began accepting ambulance runs on October 19, 2022, after an 11-year pause.
“This is an exciting milestone and one that comes after a significant amount of investment and focus on this treasured and historic community hospital,” Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said in a press conference.
Over the past several years, Cook County Health has invested more than $8 million to modernize the Provident campus, including upgrading the Emergency Department, expanding med/surg capacity, reopening the Intensive Care Unit, installing a new MRI and opening an outpatient dialysis center.
“It is an honor and privilege to be rejoining the EMS network and caring for patients in their greatest time of need,” said Israel Rocha, Jr., CEO, Cook County Health. “Provident Hospital is a true community asset, a trusted provider, and a place where our patients and staff feel like family.”
The Provident Hospital Emergency Department currently sees approximately 19,000 visits each year. The addition of ambulance runs is expected to increase this volume by a few thousand annually, with a commensurate increase in inpatient admissions.
