What better way to end our tour of historic St. Louis hospitals than to come full circle back to the “South Broadway” campus of St. Alexius? Known as South City Hospital before it closed (which was the obvious outcome of its decade or more long struggles), perhaps the institution is at best an illustration the current state of the health care industry in America: consolidation.

I like the blue tarp haphazardly tied over the sign. Maybe some red spray paint over the name would have worked better?

On a more positive note, I did see some steam rising from the physical plant building recently, as well as some cars in the parking lot, so hopefully there is on-site security. We’ll know the answer if the ten-foot tall graffiti starts appearing!

With the interstate highway system, people can theoretically be whisked to SLU of Barnes-Jewish-Children’s hospitals in an emergency, all leaders in their fields. (And honestly, I’d heard horror stories from friends of their treatment at St. Alexius.) We’re still blessed with some of the best hospitals in the world, ranking higher than our metropolitan area’s population, and these smaller hospitals are falling by the wayside, victims of the economic decline of the neighborhoods around them.