CHICAGO, IL – Rush University System for Health and Endeavor Health today announce their intention to come together to form a leading, integrated academic health system committed to ensuring every team member and every neighbor, in every community it serves, has the opportunity to thrive.
With 12 award-winning, Magnet-recognized hospitals and more than 400 care sites, the system will combine expert clinicians with the strength of a nationally recognized health sciences university and a broad network of care in communities across the region.
“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.”
An incremental $1B investment, funded by Endeavor Health, will advance community impact, academics and research, and quality and care innovation in communities across the region. A significant portion of the investment will be dedicated to community partnerships addressing social determinants of health and creating a sustainable infrastructure to support the underserved.
“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,” said Dr. Omar Lateef, President and CEO of Rush University System for Health and Rush University Medical Center. “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 combined system will operate under the Rush name, reflecting the brand’s strong national reputation and position as a leading academic institution, and reinforcing a shared commitment to advancing excellence in health sciences education, quality care and innovation.
Upon close, Endeavor Health President and CEO J.P. Gallagher will be named President and CEO of the unified system. Dr. Omar Lateef, President and CEO of Rush, will continue in this role through the close of the transaction. He will then serve as CEO Emeritus and Strategic Advisor to the CEO. A 20-person system Board will be appointed, with equal representation from Rush and Endeavor Health Board members and led by a chair from the Rush system.
Together, the future organization will have more than 46,000 employees and clinicians serving more than 2 million patients annually across Northern Illinois and Northwest Indiana. The system will aim to excel as the region’s first-choice healthcare provider and employer, with consistent standards of excellence across every setting.
“Our teams know how to keep people healthy, and our vision for true community health expands access to quality care, reduces life expectancy gaps and achieves measurable progress in advancing health and wellbeing across the region,” explains Gallagher. “We take seriously our responsibility to every community, patient and team member who interacts with our system, and we are committed to doing our very best for everyone we serve.”
The transaction is targeted to close in early 2027, following regulatory review and approval.
About Rush University System for Health
Rush University System for Health brings together the brightest minds in medicine, research and academics. Driven by discovery, innovation and a deep responsibility for the health of our communities, Rush is a national leader in outstanding patient care, education, research and community partnerships and in empowering a new generation of health care providers.
Rush is a nonprofit health system that includes Rush University Medical Center, Rush University, Rush Copley Medical Center and Rush Oak Park Hospital, as well as an extensive provider network and numerous outpatient care facilities. Rush University Medical Center is ranked among the top hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report and consistently is named among the top academic medical centers for excellence in patient care by Vizient Inc. and a Top Teaching Hospital by The Leapfrog Group. Rush University comprises three colleges: Rush Medical College, the College of Nursing and the College of Health Sciences.
About Endeavor Health
Endeavor Health is a Chicagoland-based integrated health system driven by our mission to help everyone in our communities be their best. As Illinois' third-largest health system, we proudly serve an area of more than 4.2 million residents across seven northeast Illinois counties. Our more than 28,800 team members, including more than 2,300 employed physicians, are the heart of our organization, delivering seamless access to personalized, pioneering, world-class patient care across 300 sites of care and nine hospitals, including eight Magnet-recognized acute care hospitals – Edward (Naperville), Elmhurst, Evanston, Glenbrook (Glenview), Highland Park, Northwest Community (Arlington Heights), Skokie and Swedish (Chicago) and Linden Oaks Behavioral Health Hospital (Naperville).
