Hiring Freeze At Advocate Health Care

DOWNERS GROVE, IL — After a failed merger with NorthShore University HealthSystem, Advocate Health Care has announced a hiring freeze until at least July 1. Although nurses and doctors will still be hired as needed, about 300 vacant positions in management and non-clinical roles will not be filled during the freeze, according to Crain's Chicago Business. Advocate, the largest health care system in Illinois, unsuccessfully fought the Federal Trade Commission for the right to merge with NorthShore, and the deal was scrapped in March.

The Downers Grove-based health system has a dozen hospitals, with locations in Chicago, Oak Lawn, Libertyville, Elgin, Barrington and Park Ridge.

Advocate Chief Operating Officer Bill Santulli blamed the freeze on "the harsh realities of soaring costs, bad debt and declining revenue," Crain's reported. "Operating in a state with one of lowest reimbursement rates and significant payment delays due to the lack of a state budget exacerbates the situation," he added in a statement released Friday.

• NorthShore-Advocate Merger Scrapped After Ruling

With more than 35,000 associates, Advocate is one of Chicagoland's largest employers. A recent financial statement shows the health system has not lost revenue year over year, but its profits shrank 20 percent in 2016 compared with 2015, according to Crain's.

Advocate will re-evaluate the hiring freeze after July 1.

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