Mercy Hospital and Medical Center
Mercy Hospital and Medical Center now called Insight Hospital and Medical Center Chicago is a 414-bed general medical and surgical Catholic teaching hospital in Chicago, Illinois.[1] Established in 1852, the hospital was the first chartered hospital in Chicago. In 1859, Mercy Hospital became the first Catholic hospital to affiliate with a medical school—Lind Medical School—and the first to require a graded curriculum.
This article is about a Chicago hospital. For other hospitals named "Mercy", see Mercy Hospital.Mercy Hospital and Medical Center (New Name: Insight Hospital)
Accreditation and patients[edit]
Mercy is a Level 2 Trauma Center. The last year data were made available, Mercy Hospital and Medical Center had 16,359 admissions, 2,186 inpatient procedures, 3,973 outpatient surgeries, and its emergency department had 52,692 visits.[1] The hospital is accredited by the American Osteopathic Association's Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program.[8] In 2012, Mercy Hospital and Medical Center was ranked #35 for all hospitals in the State of Illinois and #27 in the Chicago metropolitan area by U.S. News & World Report.[1]
Complaint for refusal to treat based on religious ethics[edit]
In June 2016, a woman filed complaints with the appropriate federal and state agencies against Mercy Hospital and Medical Center, for refusing to treat her although she was bleeding, cramping, and in pain after her IUD dislodged.[9][10] The woman was unaware that the hospital was Catholic, and the doctor conferred with other doctors on staff as to what treatment was allowed. No treatment was given. The hospital follows policies set out by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops as to limitations on medical care in conformance with their religious beliefs. Mercy Hospital stated that their protocol in caring for a woman with a dislodged or troublesome IUD would be to remove it, and that the doctor bore the responsibility for her refusal to administer the recommended medical treatment. The hospital pledged to review the training procedures for doctors on their staff.[11]
Purchase by Insight Chicago[edit]
Insight Chicago, a clinical technology company,[12] has been the owner of Mercy Hospital and Medical Center since June 1, 2021.[13] According to Bloomberg, they plan on injecting $50 million to the struggling hospital as part of a "comprehensive plan to increase services and meet community need."[14] They have reported plans of reviving Mercy's status as a teaching hospital.[15] As of June 2, 2021, the facility has been renamed Insight Hospital & Medical Center.[16]