CHICAGO, IL / ACCESS Newswire / July 1, 2026 / St. Bernard Hospital and Lake Emergency Partners (LEP) today announced a new partnership under which LEP will assume management of emergency medicine services at St. Bernard Hospital, located in Chicago, Illinois. LEP, an Emergency Care Partners (ECP) group, brings extensive regional experience and a proven model of high-quality, physician-led emergency care to St. Bernard Hospital.
LEP currently manages emergency department services at four hospitals across Illinois and Michigan and is led by Dr. Eduardo Navarrete, President. The addition of St. Bernard Hospital further expands LEP’s presence in the Chicago area and deepens its commitment to delivering exceptional emergency medicine to the surrounding communities.
“The combination of our staff’s quality patient care and the excellent resources provided by Lake Emergency Partners positions us to elevate and better support our patients for years to come.” – Charles Holland, President and CEO, St. Bernard Hospital
“Lake Emergency Partners is proud to join forces with St. Bernard Hospital to manage its emergency medicine services. Our goal is to bring the full strength of our regional expertise and clinical infrastructure to support St. Bernard’s mission in the community. With strong leadership continuity from Dr. Soo and Dr. Dengler, we are confident this partnership will elevate emergency care and strengthen health outcomes for the community we are privileged to serve. – Dr. Eduardo Navarrete, President, Lake Emergency Partners
Dr. George Dengler will remain an attending physician and continue in a leadership role, ensuring continuity of care and strong clinical leadership during and after the transition. Dr. Timothy Soo will provide direct oversight of the operational and clinical care delivered in the emergency department, working closely with hospital leadership to drive quality outcomes and operational excellence.
The partnership is expected to bring enhanced operational infrastructure, support for provider recruitment and retention, and access to best practices developed across ECP’s national network of emergency departments.
About St. Bernard Hospital
Founded in 1904 by the Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph, St. Bernard Hospital is a 196-bed, independent Catholic safety-net hospital serving Chicago’s historic South Side, including the Englewood community. Sponsored by Catholic Health International and accredited by The Joint Commission, St. Bernard is dedicated to providing high-quality, compassionate inpatient, outpatient, and emergency care to more than 81,000 patients annually, regardless of their ability to pay. The hospital features a comprehensive Emergency Department, a state-of-the-art Ambulatory Care Center, extensive mental health and medical detoxification services, and a dedicated mobile health unit. As an essential community anchor and a member of the South Side Healthy Community Organization (SSHCO), St. Bernard actively partners with local leaders to eliminate healthcare disparities, manage chronic illness, and advocate for the poor and vulnerable. Learn more at stbh.org.
About Lake Emergency Partners
Lake Emergency Partners (LEP) is an emergency medicine group with a unique partnership and ownership model that attracts emergency medicine professionals seeking the culture of accountability and innovation necessary to meet today’s healthcare challenges. LEP’s mission is to provide the highest level of patient care by valuing, supporting, and treating physicians fairly. LEP supports emergency departments within Insight Health and OSF Health Systems throughout Illinois and Michigan.
About Emergency Care Partners
Emergency Care Partners (ECP) is the largest single-specialty emergency medicine group in the United States, providing emergency medicine and emergency department management services to hospitals nationwide. With operations spanning 10 states, ECP sees over 1.7 million patient visits annually across 66+ sites of service, supported by a clinical workforce of 1,400+ physicians and mid-level providers, as well as 12 private physician practices. ECP delivers comprehensive back-office support across revenue cycle management, financial and operational reporting, provider recruiting, training, compliance, contracting, scheduling, payroll, and marketing.
Media Contact:
Kacie Hackel, Director of Marketing | Emergency Care Partners
Kacie.hackel@ecp.net
SOURCE: Emergency Care Partners (ECP)
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
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