Metro South Medical Center in south suburban Blue Island has stopped accepting new patients, the hospital said on its website Friday.
The hospital also announced that it temporarily suspended its emergency department and obstetrics emergency department.
NBC 5 first reported in June that the hospital was seeking a new buyer, and was in jeopardy of closing unless one could be found.
The hospital’s independent surgery group’s resignation was submitted on Monday, Sept. 16, and went into effect on Friday.
The physicans’ groups that provided oncology and emergency services will also stop services later in September, the hospital said.
Due to understaffing, nearly 15% of the staff have left, and the hospital’s cardiac catherization lab was temporarily suspended in August.
"They don't have a surgeon in the hospital anymore, because they wouldn't sign his contract. They don't have an ER anymore because they won't sign their contracts," said Amy Igoe with the SEIU Hospital Workers' Union. "This is their own doing, and people will die."
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The 314-bed hospital had roughly 800 employees in June, but had been serving an average of less than 100 patients a day.
