Rush and Endeavor Health plan merger creating 12-hospital Chicago system
Rush University System for Health and Endeavor Health plan to merge into a system with 12 hospitals, the Chicago Tribune and Sun-Times reported. All of the hospitals would carry the Rush name. The deal needs approval from regulators and could close in early 2027, the Tribune said.
Two of the Chicago area's largest hospital systems, Rush University System for Health and Endeavor Health, announced plans Wednesday to merge, the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times reported.
The combined system would include 12 hospitals, more than 46,000 employees and more than 400 sites of care, the Tribune reported. All of its hospitals would include "Rush" in their names, and the Endeavor name would eventually disappear, the Tribune said. The Sun-Times reported that the hospitals would keep operating under Rush branding.
Endeavor's nine hospitals are Swedish, Evanston, Edward, Skokie, Elmhurst, Glenbrook, Highland Park, Linden Oaks and Northwest Community, the Sun-Times reported. Rush has three: Rush University Medical Center, Rush Copley Medical Center and Rush Oak Park Hospital.
Endeavor would put $1 billion from its endowment toward the new system, both papers reported. The Tribune said that includes $300 million to reduce health care disparities, $500 million for Rush University programs, research and clinical trials, and $200 million to improve quality and care.
Endeavor CEO J.P. Gallagher would lead the combined system. Rush CEO Dr. Omar Lateef would stay through the close and then serve as CEO emeritus and a strategic adviser, both papers reported.
Asked whether the merger would bring layoffs, Lateef told the Tribune: "We're doing this to grow and we want to grow our footprint. We want to grow in the state of Illinois. We expect jobs to increase."
The deal still needs state and federal approval. The Federal Trade Commission challenged a planned merger of NorthShore, Endeavor's former name, and Advocate Health Care, and the two walked away in 2017 after a federal judge ruled for the FTC, the Tribune reported. Gallagher said the systems have already begun talks with regulators.
"Mergers often reduce competition and that could allow hospitals to charge more for care," Zachary Levinson of the health policy group KFF told the Sun-Times. In a statement reported by both papers, Brenda Langford of the National Nurses Organizing Committee board said, "Nurses call on state and federal regulators to block any merger that fails to guarantee all services are protected."
What we know: Rush and Endeavor plan a 12-hospital system under the Rush name, with a close targeted for early 2027.
What we don't: Whether regulators will approve the deal, and how it could affect prices and jobs.
Where outlets agree The Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times both report that the merged system would have 12 hospitals under Rush branding, led by Endeavor's chief executive, with $1 billion from Endeavor's endowment.
Where they differ The outlets cited here report the same key facts so far.