Rush University Medical Center facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rush University Medical Center |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
 |
|
| Geography | |
| Location | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Coordinates | 41°52′29″N 87°40′09″W / 41.874674°N 87.6693°W |
| Organization | |
| Funding | Not for profit (US$581.8 million endowment (2020)) |
| Hospital type | Teaching/University |
| Affiliated university | Rush University |
| Services | |
| Standards | tertiary care |
| Emergency department | Yes |
| Beds | 664 |
| History | |
| Founded | March 2, 1837 |
Rush University Medical Center, often called Rush, is a large hospital and learning center in Chicago, Illinois. It is located in the Illinois Medical District neighborhood. Rush is the main teaching hospital for Rush University. It is also part of the Rush University System for Health, which includes other hospitals like Rush Oak Park Hospital.
History of Rush Medical Center
Rush Medical College was officially started on March 2, 1837. This was just two days before the city of Chicago itself was officially formed! The college welcomed its first 22 students on December 4, 1843. It was Chicago's very first healthcare place. It was also one of the few medical schools in the western part of the United States at that time.
.png)
The founder, Daniel Brainard, named the school after Benjamin Rush. Benjamin Rush was a doctor who signed the Declaration of Independence. He also taught basic medical skills to Meriwether Lewis for his famous trip with William Clark. The hospital connected to the medical college was the first of its kind in Chicago.
Early teachers at Rush were well-known for their skills. They helped patients, did research, and taught new doctors. As Chicago grew, Rush worked with other new medical places. These included St. Luke's Hospital, started in 1864, and Presbyterian Hospital, which began in 1883. Rush Medical College also worked with the University of Chicago for many years.
In the early 1940s, Rush stopped teaching undergraduate students for a while. However, its library and teachers continued to be active. In 1969, Rush Medical College reopened its programs. It joined with Presbyterian-St. Luke's Hospital to form Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center. Rush University was then created in 1972. It now has colleges for medicine, nursing, health sciences, and research. In 2003, the Medical Center changed its name to Rush University Medical Center. This new name showed how important education and research are to its work.
In early 2021, Rush University Medical Center teamed up with Lurie Children's Hospital. They formed a special group to improve care for children in the area. This partnership helps bring pediatric services at Rush under the "Lurie Children's umbrella." It is now known as "Lurie Children's & Rush Advancing Children's Health."
Services at Rush
Rush University Medical Center has 664 patient beds. Its main building is 14 stories tall and very large. It is known for its unique butterfly shape. This design helps the hospital handle many patients at once, even during big emergencies. Rush offers over 70 different training programs for doctors. These programs cover many medical and surgical areas. Rush is also one of the biggest employers on Chicago's Near West Side. It has nearly 10,000 employees.
Road Home Program
Rush University Medical Center started the Road Home Program in 2014. This program helps military veterans with their mental health. It focuses on conditions like posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). In 2015, the Road Home Program became a founding partner of the Warrior Care Network. This network helps veterans across the country.
Hospital Rankings
U.S. News & World Report is a group that ranks hospitals. In 2024, they ranked Rush University Medical Center among the top 20 hospitals in the entire U.S. It was also tied for the number one spot in Chicago and Illinois. Many of Rush's medical specialties were ranked among the best in the country.
Some of the top-ranked specialties include:
- Neurology and neurosurgery (No. 7)
- Orthopedics (No. 10)
- Geriatrics (No. 10)
- Endocrinology (No. 21)
- Gynecology (No. 29)
- Gastroenterology and GI surgery (No. 28)
- Pulmonary care and lung surgery (No. 15)
- Cardiology (No. 12 (tie))
- Cancer (No. 29)
- Urology (No. 14)
- Ear, nose and throat (No. 28)
