Illinois Abortion Facility Inspection Update – Part 8

As we wind down the series of posts written by a friend of McHenry County Blog we enter into the realm of abortion clinics that are not categorized as abortion clinics by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Centers

As far as the ASTCs [Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Centers] that are abortion clinics, I do not have much new to report.

  • Dimensions closed this fall, for reasons that were not published, but it was not because of IDPH action.
  • Albany is still without an inspection since 1995.
  • The Hope Clinic does not have a recent complete inspection to review. The 2005 full inspection [ for The Hope Clinic] was “lost” by the IDPH and I’ve not seen it. The 2010 inspection in response to a complaint is incomplete.
  • American Women’s in Chicago has not been inspected since 1996. That inspection has no response or follow-up to its many serious violations, but the response of the IDPH was that since it was over 7 years ago, they do not have to respond to my inquiries.
  • Advantage remains uninspected since 1997. The IDPH has said that they will inspect these clinics sometime in 2012. I anticipate that they will not like what they find, given that the requirements for ASTCs are higher, due to the use of general anesthesia and the performance of later term abortions. And without regular inspection the natural tendency is to laxness.

This has been about the licensed abortion clinics in Illinois.

I need to point out that there are about 9 places in Illinois that perform significant numbers of abortions that are in no way regulated by the IDPH.

Planned Parenthood clinics fall into this category.

As does the Family Planning Associates chain (which includes 1 licensed clinic- Albany).

There are others in Chicago, the suburbs, and downstate.

What goes on in them is anyone’s guess, but some of them will take appointments for abortions past the PTSC allowance of 18 weeks.

They are totally unregulated, except by the medical board.

I hope this not so brief summary has helped.

I hope you will support the regulation of the abortion clinics in Illinois that have “fallen through the cracks” and have NEVER been inspected by the state.

Women deserve a clean and safe and place for any invasive surgical procedure.

Abortion should not be treated differently.

If you have any specific questions about anything, please feel free to contact me.

[Name withheld upon request.]


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