Prime Healthcare earns unanimous approval, community support for expansion across Illinois with Olympia Fields

Prime Healthcare earns unanimous approval, community support for expansion across Illinois with Olympia Fields

ONTARIO, Calif. and OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. (April 14, 2026) - Prime Healthcare received unanimous approval today from the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board for the purchase of Franciscan Health Olympia Fields.

The 8-0 vote reflects confidence in Prime Healthcare's proven ability to strengthen hospitals, preserve access to care and deliver on commitments made to communities across Illinois.

The official transition to Prime Healthcare is expected to take place on or around May 1. With the addition of Franciscan Health Olympia Fields, Prime Healthcare will welcome its 55th hospital into its nationally recognized health system.

As originally announced in January, Prime entered into an asset purchase agreement with Franciscan Alliance to acquire Franciscan Health Olympia Fields, further expanding Prime's mission-driven presence in Chicagoland and reinforcing its commitment to preserving access to high-quality, compassionate care in communities that need it most.

The transaction adds the 214-bed Franciscan Health Olympia Fields and Specialty Physicians of Illinois, LLC to Prime Healthcare's award-winning national system, which is recognized for clinical excellence, health equity and social responsibility. Franciscan Health Olympia Fields has served the South Suburbs for more than two decades and is Franciscan Alliance's only hospital in Illinois.

"Prime Healthcare is uniquely positioned to carry on Franciscan Health Olympia Fields' legacy of service to the poor and vulnerable," Franciscan Health Olympia Fields Interim President and CEO Frank McHugh said. "… Prime Healthcare's ability to strengthen hospitals while honoring values-based care gives us hope and confidence the South Suburbs will continue to have sustainable, quality healthcare access."

Prime Healthcare is a physician-founded and physician-led national health system with 54 hospitals and a proven record of saving and improving struggling hospitals and uplifting communities. Prime is nationally recognized for award-winning quality care and has been named a 10 Top Health System by Truven Health Analytics and its hospitals have been named among the nation's 100 Top Hospitals more than 70 times. Prime believes in ensuring access to care for everyone, especially those in greatest need, and is recognized for its commitment to social responsibility. Since 2010, Prime has provided more than $16 billion in community benefit and charity care, preserving essential healthcare services for more than 600 communities nationwide.

"This moment represents more than a transition, it is a commitment to the future of healthcare in the South Suburbs," said Prime Healthcare President and Chief Medical Officer Sunny Bhatia, MD. "We are grateful for the trust placed in us today and dedicated to ensuring that Franciscan Health Olympia Fields remains a pillar of care while growing as a trusted community partner. By investing in people, patients and community, we are fulfilling our promise of saving hospitals, saving jobs and saving lives."

Community leaders across the region have also expressed strong support for the transaction, highlighting the importance of maintaining access to care in the South Suburbs.

"Prime Healthcare has a strong record of investing in hospitals in financial distress while retaining staff, improving facilities and expanding patient care services," said State Representative Anthony DeLuca in a letter of support to the Review Board. "Their commitment to the community is evident through facility enhancements, expanded behavioral health and oncology services and charitable contributions that directly support local residents."

In a letter of support, State Representative Debbie Meyers-Martin said, "I believe this transaction presents an important opportunity to preserve and strengthen access to care for residents in the South Suburbs… Prime Healthcare representatives expressed a strong commitment to local engagement and local leadership."

Caregivers across the region have also expressed confidence in the future of Olympia Fields under Prime Healthcare's leadership.

"I'm proud to share what things have been like to work for Prime Healthcare," Lludid Maxinez, RN, of Prime Healthcare's Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, said in a statement submitted to the Review Board. "Things are different now that Prime Healthcare is at the helm and none of this would be possible without their support. Prime Healthcare has invested $10 million in capital improvements for Saint Francis Hospital, a powerful commitment to advancing patient care, strengthening our infrastructure and supporting the incredible work of our staff. Prime is helping us build a stronger, safer future for every patient who walks through our doors."

"Franciscan Alliance selected Prime Healthcare following a comprehensive review process that included due diligence and careful evaluation of mission alignment, ethical commitment and long-term sustainability," Franciscan Alliance President and CEO Kevin Leahy said. "Prime's experience operating Catholic hospitals in Illinois, along with its demonstrated commitment to quality, community service and ethical care delivery, were central to Franciscan's decision."

As part of the proposed transaction, Prime Healthcare has committed to a series of mission-driven investments designed to strengthen long-term access to care and advance medical education. These commitments include a $5 million philanthropic contribution to support Franciscan's expansion of medical education, aligned with Prime's national investment in physician training through its medical school and residency programs across the country.

The transaction also includes the Prime Healthcare Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) public charity, which will help ensure continued participation in the 340B program to maintain access to lifesaving services, support for physicians through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program and expanded investments in graduate medical education, scholarships, and community benefit initiatives.

"The Prime Healthcare Foundation is honored to support the legacy of Olympia Fields and help ensure continued access to lifesaving programs for the community," said Kavitha Bhatia, MD, President and Chair of Prime Healthcare Foundation. "Through support for physicians, continued participation in loan forgiveness programs, expanded graduate medical education and scholarships and partnership with community organizations, we are investing in hope, opportunity and a brighter future for the South Suburbs."

Consistent with Prime's long-standing practice, the system will offer employment to substantially all employees and will continue charity care and community benefit programs, fulfilling its mission of "saving hospitals, saving jobs, and saving lives."

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About Prime Healthcare: Prime Healthcare is an award-winning health system operating 54 hospitals and more than 360 outpatient locations in 15 states, providing over 3 million patient visits annually. It is one of the nation's leading health systems, with more than 60,000 staff and affiliated physicians. Twenty-one of the Prime Healthcare hospitals are members of the Prime Healthcare Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit public charity. Based in Ontario, California, Prime Healthcare is nationally recognized for award-winning quality care and has been named a 10 Top and 15 Top Health System by Truven Health Analytics. Its hospitals have been named among the nation's "100 Top Hospitals" 75 times and is one of Healthgrades' most awarded health systems in the nation for patient safety. To learn more, please visit primehealthcare.com.

About Franciscan Alliance: The Franciscan Alliance healthcare ministry began in Lafayette, Ind. in 1875. Today, Franciscan Alliance is one of the largest Catholic health care systems in the Midwest with 12 hospital campuses, more than 19,000 employees and a number of nationally recognized Centers of Health Care Excellence. Hospitals include Franciscan Health Carmel; Franciscan Health Crawfordsville; Franciscan Health Crown Point; Franciscan Health Dyer; Franciscan Health Indianapolis; Franciscan Health Lafayette; Franciscan Health Michigan City; Franciscan Health Mooresville; Franciscan Health Munster; Franciscan Health Olympia Fields (Ill.), Franciscan Health Orthopedic Hospital (Carmel) and Franciscan Health Rensselaer.