WAUKEGAN – State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove) released the following statement after the Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan lost its trauma center designation, causing people with serious injuries to have to be transported to hospitals more than 20 minutes away:

“The Waukegan community is facing a detrimental downturn in trauma-focused care with the revocation of Vista Medical Center’s trauma center designation. A lack of accessible, reliable, high-quality health care is already the reality for many, and the recent announcement will create even more damage for local residents. Simply put: Without proper intervention, lives will be lost.

“It is vital that we find the root cause of the issue at Vista Medical Center and create tangible solutions to ensure residents are safe. We also must consider the impact it has on employees who face grave uncertainty from if they have a job to if they’ll be paid.

“In the days and weeks to come, I will be working with the Illinois Department of Public Health, Vista Medical Center East and other local and state agencies to get to the bottom of the revocation and ensure our residents – both patients and employees alike – receive the care and assistance they deserve.”