Resident urges village to investigate Northwest Community inpatient closure; village staff to report back

At the village board meeting Feb. 3, resident and Mental Health Task Force member Arlen Gould urged Mayor John Hayes and the Village Board to investigate the planned closure of inpatient services at Northwest Community Hospital and to weigh potential local impacts.

Gould said the closure would force transfers to hospitals in other communities — he named Evanston and Naperville as examples — increasing transport time for patients and additional work for hospitals and emergency responders. Gould referenced a local news article that, he said, attributed the facility’s financial losses last year chiefly to settlements from claims of patient abuse by a doctor; Gould said the facility then used those losses to justify the inpatient closure.

Mayor Hayes responded that the village learned of the change through a letter and that the hospital will continue outpatient services while closing inpatient beds. Village manager and staff told the board they are coordinating with Health and Human Services and first-responders to assess operational effects; the manager said he would include additional information in the upcoming Friday packet for the board.

Gould asked that the village advocate for Arlington Heights residents to retain closer inpatient access; Hayes said staff would monitor the operational implications and that, from an emergency response perspective, village officials do not expect major changes to emergency operations because inpatient placement decisions typically occur at the hospital and patients still present first to emergency departments.

No formal action was taken; the board discussed next steps for staff to gather information and communicate potential impacts to the public.