UC clinic closures the lastest in a growing list

The Tribune's Jason Grotto wrote an insightful story this week regarding the closing of two University of Chicago health clinics. The clinics - the Women's Health Center and a dental clinic - are due to close in June, and are just two more casualties of an economy that is sputtering.

Just think. Since April, health clinics in mostly underserved areas have been on the chopping block. The Daily News reported on four South Side mental health clinics that were due to close, until Mayor Daley repealed the order. UIC is closing a clinic in Pilsen, much to the chagrin of patients, staff and medical students. Now UC is shuttering a widely used clinic in an underserved area.

One wonders how these patients are expected to adapt. When the economy turns around, will our health care system still be operating at a recession rate? Will the state mandate faster Medicare reimbursement? And why is there no talk of North Side clinics closing?

It's a scary time in this country, and health care companies, like UC, are feeling the pinch. There are hard decisions to be made, but it is very surprising that the ax is falling across the city at the same.