VIDEO: Budzinski Meets with Gateway Memorial Hospital CEO, Demands Reform to Improve Operations

Resources / Press Share on VIDEO: Budzinski Meets with Gateway Memorial Hospital CEO, Demands Reform to Improve Operations Sep 09, 2026 Press GRANITE CITY, IL — Yesterday, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) met with leadership at Gateway Regional Medical Center to address serious concerns surrounding patient-safety and the hospital’s ongoing financial crisis. In an exclusive interview with KMOV David Amelotti, Budzinski shared what was discussed in the closed-door meeting and emphasized what must be done to ensure the community continues to have access to quality care and hospital staff have the resources they need. Watch the full interview HERE . In August, reporting from KMOV raised serious concerns around billing and staffing issues at Gateway that were impacting patient care. Budzinski immediately sprang into action, reaching out to the state and ultimately sending a four-page letter to American Healthcare Systems CEO and Gateway Regional Medical Center CEO, Michael Sarian and Joe Ottolino, demanding clear answers on Gateway’s finances, employee benefits, and staffing stability. In response to the letter, hospital leadership agreed to meet with the Congresswoman in person. Budzinski visited the hospital to hear directly about the challenges facing the facility, and discuss a path forward to address concerns about patient care and the hospital’s financial stability. Going forward, Budzinski is pushing Gateway to make serious and meaningful improvements to adequately serve patients in the community and remain in a position to provide the quality care patients deserve and continue receiving critical Medicare and Medicaid funding. Share on