Prime Healthcare takes ownership of St. Joseph hospital in Joliet

Prime Healthcare took ownership of Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet on Saturday.

The California-based company announced the completion of its acquisition of eight Ascension hospitals in the Chicago-area.

“Prime Healthcare is honored to welcome these hospitals into our award-winning system, building upon our legacy of transforming healthcare and preserving access to life-saving services,” Dr. Sunny Bhatia, president and chief medical officer of Prime Healthcare, said in a news release. “For nearly two decades, we have uniquely revitalized hospitals, ensuring they not only survive but thrive—delivering compassionate, evidence-based care that communities can trust."

Prime Healthcare was founded in 2001.

Prime Healthcare in the release referred to its “national reputation for turning around financially struggling hospitals and preserving quality healthcare in more than 600 communities.”

The financial condition of Saint Joseph Medical Center came into question during a 2023 nurses' strike as the union pointed to problems inside the hospital.

Ascension at the end of its 2024 fiscal year in June reported a $1.8 billion operating loss across its network, an improvement from a $3 billion loss the previous year.

Saint Joseph Medical Center is getting its fifth owner since the 1990s and has seen frequent changes in top management.

Prime Healthcare did not respond to specific questions about plans for Saint Joseph Medical Center or make any comments outside of its news release.

But the release said Prime Healthcare will invest $250 million into the Ascension acquisitions “in facility upgrades, capital improvements, substantial technology investments and system upgrades.”

Dr. Kavitha Bhatia, president and chair of the Prime Healthcare Foundation, said in the release, “We are honored to extend our mission to Chicagoland as we uplift communities and preserve access to care.”

Employment offers were made to “substantially all associates,” Prime HealthCare said.

The company also said it will “maintain charity care programs, preserving the facilities' role in ensuring care for the most vulnerable.”

Unlike Ascension and previous owners of Saint Joseph Medical Center, Prime Healthcare is not a Catholic health system. But the Ascension hospitals will retain Catholic connections, Prime Healthcare said.

“These hospitals will continue an affiliation with the Catholic Church and traditions to honor every person’s spiritual care,” the release said.

Saint Joseph Medical Center was founded in 1892 Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart, a congregation now based in Frankfort.

The Ascension acquisition includes Villa Franciscan Place, a senior living facility located next to the Joliet hospital, and three other senior facilities.

It also includes St. Mary’s Hospital in Kankakee, which has been placed under common top management with the Joliet hospital under previous owners.

Prime Healthcare also is now the owner of Ascenstion at Home operations in Joliet and Kankakee.

The acquisition of Ascension hospitals is the largest for Prime Healthcare.

Its health system now includes 51 hospitals, more than 360 outpatient locations, over 10,500 licensed beds, and nearly 57,000 employees.

Other hospitals included in the acquisition are Holy Family Medical Center in Des Plaines, Mercy Medical Center in Aurora, Resurrection Medical Center in Chicago, Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, Saint Joseph Hospital in Elgin, and Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital in Chicago.

The news release noted Prime Healthcare has been recognized as a 10 Top and 15 Top Health System by Truven Health Analytics. Prime Healthcare was named one of America’s Greatest Workplaces for 2024 by Newsweek and Plant-A Insights Group. Its hospitals have been named among the nation’s “100 Top Hospitals” 69 times.