Rush University Medical Center experienced a temporary loss of air conditioning Monday morning, spokesperson Tobin Klinger said. As a result, the hospital’s emergency room was put on bypass, meaning that ambulances in the area were instructed to take patients to other hospitals, and many operating room procedures were canceled.
On Monday morning, a chilled water line in the medical center’s Tower building went down. While the damage was repaired quickly, it created a delay in cooling that drastically affected the HVAC system and other equipment.
“Conditions in the Tower are expected to be uncomfortable until the cooling system can fully recharge. Steps are being taken to keep patients and staff safe as temperatures rise,” Klinger said. The hospital expected conditions to return to normal later Monday and the hospital was contacting patients directly to reschedule canceled procedures.
Chicago is under a heat advisory, according to the National Weather Service, with the heat index expected to reach 102 degrees or more.
Rush is not the first Chicago-area hospital to struggle with keeping cool this summer. In June, Weiss Memorial had to evacuate its patients after an air conditioning failure that lasted over two weeks.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a public notice late last week that Weiss would be terminated from the Medicare program Aug. 9 because it was out of compliance with rules related to nursing services, physical environment and emergency services, although the notice did not elaborate on exactly how Weiss was out of compliance.
