The Center for Sports Medicine and Orthopedics sees changes in where some surgeries will be performed

From Local 3 News: CommonSpirit Hospital, formerly known as CHI Memorial, recently switched radiology providers earlier this month.

The switch has caused changes in appointment availability and wait times for certain imaging scans.

Longer wait times for radiology imaging results have been an issue for some patients during the month of July.

This change has caused lots of feedback online. Dozens of commenters are saying they haven’t received results in two weeks, or that they had to wait seven hours in the emergency room for results.

We reached out to CommonSpirit’s communications manager, Karen Long, who confirmed in a statement that “some outpatient imaging services are temporarily paused to help accelerate and prioritize the most urgent imaging results.”

The statement says, “inpatient, cardiology, vascular, interventional radiology, and mammography services remain fully operational”, and that “surgeries have not been impacted by the radiology issue”

Long’s statement says they are working towards a resolution and prioritizing direct communication with impacted patients to keep everyone up to date.

However, this isn’t the only change happening across the CommonSpirit facilities.

Now, patients who receive care through the Center for Sports Medicine and Orthopedics are being told that changes are coming to where some surgeries will be performed.

Patients received an email from the Center for Sports Medicine stating that “starting in August, total joint, foot and ankle, and sports medicine physicians will begin performing surgeries primarily at the Parkridge Health System.”

The transition does not mean the practice is cutting ties with CommonSpirit, and that has nothing to do with the radiology imaging issues.

We reached out to the Center for Sports Medicine and Orthopedics. They said in a statement that, for patients, the key message is that they “will continue to see the same physicians, treatment plans and quality of care will not change, and hand and spine services will continue at Memorial.”

They say, “The transition is intended to expand access to orthopedic care and support future patient demand across the region. It affects where certain hospital-based surgical services are provided, but our physician offices, Urgent + Ortho clinics, therapy locations, and other outpatient services continue to serve patients throughout the region.”

They also say, “While some of the facilities where we provide care are changing, our commitment to our patients is not—this transition is about expanding access, preserving quality, and ensuring patients continue to receive exceptional orthopedic care close to home.”

Local 3 reached out to dozens of patients who shared their experiences online, but are still waiting to hear back so that we can share those stories with you.