Crain’s Headlines: 4 South Side Hospitals in Consolidation Talks


Plans are afoot to consolidate financially struggling hospitals that serve Chicago’s poorest residents on the South Side.

Crain’s has learned that at least four hospitals are in talks with the state to create a single system with one leadership team.

Thanks to our sponsors:

View all sponsors

The hospitals involved in the negotiations so far are Advocate Trinity Hospital, Mercy Hospital & Medical Center, South Shore Hospital and St. Bernard Hospital. 

Separately, a private health care consultancy has agreed to buy the recently shuttered MetroSouth Medical Center as the first step in a hoped-for combination with other so-called safety-net hospitals.

In other Chicago-area business news:

The longtime leader of the Merchandise Mart tech startup incubator 1871 Chicago is moving on to his next gig.

Howard Tullman, who left 1871 to help the Illinois Institute of Technology launch a new center for innovation and entrepreneurship, is leaving the school at the end of the year.

IIT’s Kaplan Institute is designed to bring together students from various fields of study from across the campus to create products and businesses in collaboration with the private sector. Tullman has been executive director there since early 2018.

And finally, MillerCoors has revealed more details on its answer to the hard seltzer phenomenon White Claw.

The Chicago-based brewing giant is set to debut a product called Vizzy, which will feature a mega-dose of vitamin C along with an alcohol kick. Vizzy will come in four flavors — Black Cherry Lime, Blueberry Pomegranate, Strawberry Kiwi and Pineapple Mango. It’s set to hit store shelves next year.


Crain’s Headlines is a joint production between WTTW and Crain’s Chicago Business. It airs every Monday through Thursday on the WTTW News program “Chicago Tonight.” 


Related stories:

Crain’s Headlines: FAA Chief Says 737 Max Won’t Be Cleared Before 2020

Crain’s Headlines: Judge Appoints Examiner in Sears Bankruptcy Fight

Crain’s Headlines: Former Outcome Health Executive Ashik Desai Pleads Guilty


Thanks to our sponsors:

View all sponsors

Thanks to our sponsors:

View all sponsors