Daisy Rodriguez became the fifth CEO to leave Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan over the past three years, stepping down on Oct. 6, but she says she remains committed as a consultant to helping the hospital climb out of its difficult financial situation.
Since Rodriguez joined the hospital as CEO and chief nursing officer in early August, Vista was denied “safety net” status for the second consecutive year and continues to face foreclosure on its property for unpaid property taxes.
She said Wednesday she is committed to working as a consultant for Vista Medical Center to help the only general hospital in northeast Lake County reach a stable financial footing.
“I am still actively involved in developing a sustainable path for the organization,” Rodriguez said in a text. “I remain deeply committed to the importance of preserving access to acute care services in this community.”
Kevin Spiegel, who served as Vista’s CEO from October 2024 to March 2025, has returned as Vista’s interim CEO, replacing Rodriguez. He was the third CEO since Los Angeles-area-based American Healthcare Systems (AHS) bought Vista more than three years ago.
Spiegel said Tuesday that Vista denies care to no one needing treatment even though a vast majority of its patients, particularly in acute and cardiac care, are uninsured or on Medicaid. This situation is a strain on the hospital’s revenue stream, which could be eased with safety net status, he said.
Attaining safety net status from the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) is one of the elements critical to financial sustainability. Rodriguez said it helps hospitals that treat uninsured patients and individuals who rely on Medicaid.
“Achieving safety-net status was certainly an important strategic priority, given its potential impact on Vista’s financial sustainability and ability to continue serving vulnerable populations in Waukegan and Lake County,” Rodriguez said.
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Spiegel said a primary reason for Rodriguez’s departure was the denial of safety net status. She said her decision to depart Vista “was based on many factors.” She declined to elaborate.
Waukegan Mayor Sam Cunningham said he understood from AHS management that it has been trying to obtain safety net status for Vista since the company acquired the hospital. Being denied twice by HFS is more than disappointing, he said.
“Safety net status is essential to a hospital operation in our area,” Cunningham said. “I’m displeased we are not moving forward with a safety net hospital operation. This can leave Vista’s operation by AHS without sustainable healthcare. I’m extremely disappointed and frankly frustrated.”
While Vista looks for ways to attain sustainability, it is also dealing with a potential loss of the real estate where the hospital is located. With property taxes for 2023, 2024, and this year unpaid, the buyer of the 2023 taxes — First National Assets (FNA) — is poised to become the owner.
FNA, a company that buys delinquent property taxes as an investment, purchased the delinquent 2023 taxes in November 2024, nd petitioned the Lake County Court in January to acquire title to the property.
Scheduled to ask County Court Judge Christopher Ditton for an order to obtain a deed to the property from County Clerk Anthony Vega on Friday, FNA attorney Gregory Reiter asked the judge to reschedule the hearing for Nov. 20.
“We are still evaluating the parcels,” Reiter said.
Since the land under the hospital at the northwest corner of Sheridan Road and Glen Flora Avenue is currently zoned for a hospital, a buyer who wants to do anything else with the property would need to get it rezoned by the city of Waukegan.
Some answers may be forthcoming when state Sen. Adriane Johnson, D-Buffalo Grove, and state Rep. Rita Mayfield, D-Gurnee, hold a town hall at 6 p.m. on Oct. 23 at the Patricia Jones Center in Waukegan.
Johnson said she and Mayfield have been working behind the scenes to make sure Waukegan has a hospital.
When AHS purchased Vista from Quororum Health Corp., it bought the Vista corporation rather than its assets, leaving it with debts accumulated by Quororum. Financial problems have plagued AHS’s operation of Vista ever since.