Northwestern Memorial Hospital facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Northwestern Memorial Hospital |
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| Northwestern Medicine | |
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Prentice Women's Hospital, a building of Northwestern Memorial Hospital
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| Geography | |
| Location | 251 East Huron Street, Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Coordinates | 41°53′41″N 87°37′19″W / 41.89472°N 87.62194°W |
| Organization | |
| Funding | Non-profit hospital |
| Hospital type | Inpatient and outpatient, specialty and primary care, teaching |
| Affiliated university | Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine |
| Services | |
| Emergency department | Level I trauma center |
| Helipad | No |
| Beds | 894 |
| History | |
| Founded | September 1, 1972 (52 years, 292 days) |
Northwestern Memorial Hospital (NMH) is a top hospital in Chicago, Illinois. It's a teaching hospital connected to Northwestern University and its Feinberg School of Medicine. This means doctors in training learn here.
NMH is the main hospital for Northwestern Medicine. Other important places nearby include the Lurie Children's Hospital, which helps kids with serious injuries, and the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, which helps people get better after injuries or illnesses.
In 2022, U.S. News & World Report said Northwestern Memorial was the best hospital in Chicago and Illinois for the eleventh year in a row. It was also ranked #9 in the whole country. The hospital was especially recognized for its care in 11 adult specialties, like brain and nerve care.
Contents
A Look Back: The Hospital's Story
Early Days and Big Changes
Northwestern Memorial Hospital started way back in 1865. It was first called Deaconess Hospital of Chicago. It had only 15 beds and helped 75 patients in its first year, many for free.
In 1871, the Great Chicago Fire destroyed Deaconess Hospital. Its founder, William A. Passavant Sr., couldn't afford to rebuild it right away.
Fourteen years later, in 1885, Passavant opened a new hospital called "Emergency Hospital." This hospital was built to help people with urgent medical needs.
Another hospital, Wesley Hospital, began in 1888. In 1890, Wesley Hospital moved closer to Northwestern University's Medical School. They started working together to train new doctors.
In 1897, a group of women created a society to raise money for Passavant's hospital. This group is now one of Chicago's oldest charities.
By 1901, both Passavant Memorial Hospital and Wesley Hospital had grown. They could now help more patients.
In 1914, a kind person named James Deering gave $1 million to Wesley Memorial Hospital. This money helped the hospital work more closely with Northwestern University Medical School. It also helped care for people who couldn't pay.
During World War I in 1917, doctors and nurses from both hospitals went to France. They helped treat soldiers alongside other staff from Northwestern University.
In 1924, Wesley Hospital planned to move to Northwestern University's campus for a stronger connection. However, building plans were delayed. Northwestern University also invited Passavant Memorial Hospital to join them.
In 1925, Passavant Memorial Hospital officially teamed up with Northwestern University. This allowed medical students to learn at the hospital. In 1929, Passavant Memorial opened a new, larger hospital building with 325 beds. It was right across from Northwestern University Medical School.
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In 1937, a steel company owner named George Herbert Jones gave $1 million. This money helped build a new tall building for Wesley Memorial Hospital. This new hospital opened in 1941.
Over the next 30 years, Passavant Memorial and Wesley Memorial hospitals became very close. They were both main hospitals for Northwestern Medicine. In 1942, doctors and nurses from both hospitals again helped soldiers during World War II.
In 1948, William A. Passavant Sr. passed away. The hospital was renamed Passavant Memorial Hospital to honor him.
In 1954, Chicago Memorial Hospital joined with Wesley Hospital. This led to a new name: Chicago Wesley Memorial Hospital. They combined their leaders, money, and medical teams.
Four years later, Passavant Memorial Hospital added a new section. This brought the total number of beds to 350. In 1959, Wesley Memorial Hospital also added more space for patients and labs.
Because they were so close and worked with Northwestern, the hospitals started sharing many services. This prepared them for a bigger step: joining together.
In 1968, they started planning a joint women's hospital, Prentice Women's Hospital. It would be managed by Northwestern, Wesley Memorial, and Passavant Memorial Hospital.
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By 1971, staff could work at both Passavant Memorial and Wesley Memorial hospitals. Though leaders first said it wasn't a step towards a merger, the two hospitals decided to explore joining in May 1972. They had already combined their nursing schools.
Becoming One Big Hospital
On September 1, 1972, Passavant Memorial Hospital and Wesley Memorial Hospital officially became one. They merged to form Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
This new hospital had 1,000 beds. It became one of the largest private, non-profit hospitals in Chicago and the Midwest. It was the sixth-largest private hospital in the United States.
In 1975, the Prentice Women's Hospital and Northwestern University's Institute of Psychiatry joined Northwestern Memorial Hospital. A few years later, in 1979, the Olson Critical Care Pavilion opened.
By the 1980s, the hospital realized its old buildings were not modern enough. They couldn't keep up with new technology or allow for future growth. So, they started planning a new hospital.
In 1992, the hospital announced a $630 million project to build a new hospital. Construction began in 1994.
In 1996, surgeons at Northwestern Memorial Hospital were the first in Illinois to perform a special type of transplant called an islet cell transplantation.
On May 1, 1999, Northwestern Memorial Hospital opened its new buildings: the 17-floor Feinberg Pavilion and the 22-floor Galter Pavilion. These new buildings became a model for hospital design. They had 492 private patient rooms and an emergency department that could treat 70,000 patients each year. The new hospital cost $580 million and covered over 2 million square feet.
In 2001, the old Passavant Building was taken down to make way for a new research center. This new center, finished in 2005, was named the "Robert H. Lurie Medical Research Center." This was to honor a large donation from the Ann Lurie Foundation. Today, only parts of the old Passavant wall are kept at the Feinberg Pavilion.
In 2005, the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute was created. This happened after a kind person named Neil G. Bluhm donated $10 million to start a heart institute.
Today's Hospital: Growing and Helping
In October 2007, a new Prentice Women's Hospital opened. It was built on the same spot where the old Wesley Hospital once stood. This new hospital replaced the Old Prentice Women's Hospital Building, which was later taken down in 2014.
The new Prentice Women's Hospital was twice as big as the old one. It has one of the largest neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in the country, which helps very sick babies.
In 2009, the William Wirtz family gave $19.5 million to the Robert H. Lurie Cancer Center. This money helps with cancer research.
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Northwestern Memorial is known for its smart design. It was one of the first hospitals to give every patient a private room. The Feinberg and Galter Pavilion buildings are among the tallest hospitals in the United States. The nearby Lurie Children's Hospital is also one of the tallest hospital buildings.
In 2011, work began on a new building called the Northwestern Outpatient Pavilion. This building would help people who don't need to stay overnight. It opened in 2014. It has special areas for bone and muscle care, surgery rooms, and doctors' offices.
In 2015, the Northwestern Outpatient Pavilion was renamed the Lavin Family Pavilion. This honored the Lavin Family Foundation for their support.
On October 12, 2015, Julie L. Creamer became the first female president of Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
From 2015 to 2019, the Simpson Querrey Biomedical Research Center was built. This building has labs for medical research. It was partly funded by Louis Simpson and Kimberly Querrey, who gave $92 million.
In February 2020, the hospital announced it would add 49 new beds. This would be a three-story addition between the Galter and Feinberg Pavilions.
Keeping Information Safe
In April 2021, there was a problem with a computer system used by the hospital. This problem involved unauthorized access to private patient details. Hospital officials said that personal information, including social security numbers, was affected.
What the Hospital Does
Northwestern Memorial has 894 beds for patients. It covers over 3 million square feet of medical buildings in downtown Chicago. More than 1,900 doctors work at Northwestern Memorial. They also teach at the Feinberg School of Medicine.
In 2018, the hospital received over $484 million for research. This places Northwestern among the top medical schools for research funding. The hospital also works with CommunityHealth in Chicago, providing care through volunteer doctors.
Discovering New Cures
Working with the Feinberg School of Medicine, the hospital conducts over 4,500 clinical trials each year. More than 50,000 patients and volunteers take part in these studies.
In 2019, research funding for Feinberg reached $534 million. Current research areas include AIDS, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, genetics (like stem cell research), mental health, and organ transplantation.
The Simpson Querrey Biomedical Research Center, which opened in 2019, is expected to bring in over $1.5 billion in new research funding in its first 10 years.
Inside the Hospital Buildings
Galter
The Galter Pavilion is one of the main buildings at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. It's named after Jack and Dollie Galter, who supported the hospital. It's one of the tallest hospital buildings in the United States. The Galter Pavilion connects to the Feinberg Pavilion on the first three floors. These buildings were built in 1997 and hold many patient services.
Feinberg
The Feinberg Pavilion was built at the same time as the Galter Pavilion. It's mainly where patients stay overnight. It also connects to the Galter Pavilion on the first three floors. The Feinberg Pavilion houses the main imaging department for the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Lavin Family
The Lavin Family Pavilion is the main building for patients who visit the hospital but don't stay overnight. It opened in 2014. This building has special areas for bone and muscle care, surgery rooms, and many doctors' offices.
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Olson
The Olson Critical Care Pavilion opened in 1979. It is located next to the former Passavant and Wesley Pavilions.
Prentice
Prentice Women's Hospital is a special hospital for women's health. It's right next to Northwestern Memorial and the Lurie Children's Hospital. Prentice Women's Hospital is part of Northwestern Medicine and helps train new doctors.
The hospital provides care for pregnant women, women's health, and newborn babies. It has 256 beds, including 86 special beds for very sick newborns. It also has labor and delivery rooms and operating rooms. Prentice is connected to Lurie Children's Hospital by a skybridge. This allows Lurie doctors to help with the newborn intensive care units.
Top Rankings and Awards
Northwestern Memorial Hospital is often ranked as a top hospital in Chicago, Illinois, and among the top 10 in the nation.
The hospital is also ranked among the best in the country for 12 specialties. These include brain and nerve care, bone and joint care, and diabetes and hormone care. It's also highly ranked for digestive problems, women's health, elderly care, and heart and heart surgery.
In the 2020-21 U.S. News & World Report: Best Hospitals rankings, the hospital was ranked #1 in Illinois. It was also the tenth-best hospital in the entire country.
| Specialty | Rank (In the U.S.) | Score (Out of 100) |
|---|---|---|
| Cancer | #8 | 69.1 |
| Cardiology & Heart Surgery | #10 | 72.1 |
| Diabetes & Endocrinology | #21 | 61.8 |
| Ear, Nose & Throat | #26 | 69.5 |
| Gastroenterology & GI Surgery | #12 | 76.7 |
| Geriatrics | #6 | 94.2 |
| Gynecology | Not Ranked | 53.7 |
| Nephrology | #13 | 68.8 |
| Neurology & Neurosurgery | #5 | 93.6 |
| Ophthalmology | Not Ranked | 1.9 |
| Orthopedics | #15 | 58.5 |
| Psychiatry | Not Ranked | 1.2 |
| Pulmonology & Lung Surgery | #13 | 80.5 |
| Rehabilitation | Not Ranked | |
| Rheumatology | High Performing | 4.8 |
| Urology | #12 | 76.7 |
See also
- Northwestern Medicine
- Lurie Children's Hospital
- Prentice Women's Hospital
- Feinberg School of Medicine
