Coronavirus: Amita Keeps Hospital Numbers Secret

LA GRANGE, IL — A La Grange resident says he has struggled to find out how many people suffering from the coronarvirus are at the hospital in La Grange. It is difficult information to get.

The man wrote on the La Grange Patch website that he had called Amita Adventist Medical Center La Grange four times, saying "all I want to know is how many active cases of COVID-19 there are at La Grange hospital." He pleaded with the public to give him pointers about how to find this information from Amita, which owns a chain of hospitals, including Hinsdale's.

The resident said his fifth try resulted in an explanation about why the information is kept under wraps: "They said it is hospital policy not to release that information to the general public. And I asked why, is it a big secret?" He said the person responded that she did not know.

An Amita spokeswoman, Olga Solares, said Friday that as of Thursday, the chain had 220 coronavirus patients across 14 of its hospitals. "We will respond to media inquiries such as yours with our collective number," she said.

The Cook County coronavirus map gives the number of reported coronavirus cases in each town. As of Friday, there were 13 in La Grange, 7 in Western Springs and 6 in La Grange Park. But many coronavirus victims are never hospitalized.

At the March 23 Village Board meeting, Trustee Bill Holder, a hospital foundation board member, reported that the hospital had one patient who had tested positive for the coronavirus. A few others, he said, were under observation in "negative pressure rooms," which are meant to prevent cross-contamination from room to room.

During a Patch visit last week, the hospital had signs posted barring visitors from entering the building, indicating exceptions would be determined case by case. Holder said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was "thrilled" about how well the hospital chain was following guidelines.

In an email Friday, Holder questioned the importance of hospital-specific numbers.

"Of what use is that number anyway, when it changes daily?" he said. "If you really want to do the community a service, tell them that you think half the population of La Grange is infected, so everyone should stay away from everyone else so that you don't infect anyone you love or get it to give to others. Seriously, there is a surge coming. All this is far from over."

A call to the La Grange hospital's chief executive, Mike Murrill, was routed to communications.

Read more:

Illinois Coronavirus Update April 3: 7,697 Cases, 167 Deaths

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