Endeavor Health and Rush University System for Health announced Wednesday that they plan to merge, creating a 12-hospital system that will operate under the Rush name.
The combined system would have more than 400 care sites and more than 46,000 employees and clinicians serving more than 2 million patients a year across northern Illinois and northwest Indiana, according to the release from Rush.
Endeavor, which describes itself as Illinois’ third-largest health system, operates nine hospitals, including Evanston Hospital. The others are Edward in Naperville, Elmhurst, Glenbrook in Glenview, Highland Park, Northwest Community in Arlington Heights, Skokie, Swedish in Chicago and Linden Oaks Behavioral Health Hospital in Naperville. Rush’s system includes Rush University Medical Center, Rush Copley Medical Center and Rush Oak Park Hospital.
Gerald “J.P.” Gallagher, president and CEO of Endeavor Health Credit: Endeavor Health
Endeavor will fund an incremental $1 billion investment to “advance community impact, academics and research, and quality and care innovation in communities across the region,” the release said. A significant portion will go toward community partnerships addressing social determinants of health and building sustainable infrastructure to support the underserved.
“Together, Rush and Endeavor Health have an opportunity to create a stronger, more connected health system that sets a new standard for how care is delivered and experienced across our communities,” said Gerald “J.P.” Gallagher, president and CEO of Endeavor Health. “Patients and communities will benefit from improved access, advanced research and nationally recognized, high-quality care close to home.”
Once the merger closes, Gallagher will become president and CEO of the unified system. Dr. Omar Lateef, president and CEO of Rush, will continue in that role through the close, then serve as CEO emeritus and strategic advisor to the CEO.
Dr. Omar B. Lateef, President and CEO of Rush University System for Health. Credit: Ruff University System.
A 20-person system board will be appointed, with equal representation from Rush and Endeavor board members and led by a chair from the Rush system.
“The system will embody and expand the foundational values for which both systems are known: excellence, access and health equity, backed by a leading university that drives research and trains our future healthcare leaders,” Lateef said. “As a unified system, we will expand upon the work Rush has done on the West Side of Chicago to strengthen our impact in communities across the region to ensure more patients benefit from the expertise, innovation and compassion that define us.”
The systems hope to close the transaction in early 2027, “following regulatory review and approval,” according to the release.
Related Stories