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Protest + Political pressure = Success

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* Excellent reads from Crain’s Chicago Business…

* University of Chicago Medicine didn’t want an adult trauma center. What caused its change of heart? In part one of our two-part series, we examine how activists and their allies upped the pressure on the prestigious university health system.

* University of Chicago Medicine didn’t want an adult trauma center. What caused its change of heart? In the second installment of our two-part series, we take a look at the financial and political reasons for the health system to reverse course.

Go check ‘em out.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 11:05 am

Comments

The saga of the University of Chicago and its health center is an excellent case study for why major institutions need to be anchors not islands. It is no longer enough to build a great university. To be successful, universities must help build great neighborhoods.

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 11:10 am
Why now?

–Two compelling reasons: the university’s campaign to snag the prestigious Obama presidential library and a lucrative cancer institute. Activists could have derailed these projects if a trauma center didn’t happen.–

Now that’s leverage.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 11:27 am
Now they have to recruit ER staff from Cook County Hospital. Years ago, the Cook County Hospital ER was the place to go if you had a major trauma accident or gun shot wound. They saw so many of these types of injuries that they got very good at treating they.

Comment by Huh? Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 11:57 am
Trauma and ER are two different things. And recruiting from Cook County probably won’t be required. The real problem is — the City actually doesn’t really need another adult trauma center. It has the right number - they’re just not distributed well (Sinai and Stroger, just blocks apart, Northwestern and Masonic, both on the north side, with two in Evanston just over the border). The last thing we need is too many centers, all operating at under capacity. One should probably close, but will it be the right one?

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 1:52 pm
== To be successful, universities must help build great neighborhoods. ==

Agreed. And with the billions of dollars floating around in higher education, there is plenty of money to pay for it.

Step up, universities…give back to the communities!

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 11, 16 @ 3:31 pm