Northwestern Hospital aims to reduce ER congestion

Northwestern Memorial Hospital has proposed a $77.6 million project to construct a three-story connector between two buildings and add 49 beds to decrease emergency department congestion.

Right now, over 3,000 patients a year leave Northwestern before being seen because they’re tired of waiting, according to the hospital’s proposal, filed recently with the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board. The hospital also says lack of ER capacity also means it sometimes must direct ambulances to other nearby hospitals.

The lack of available beds also limits how many patients can transfer to the hospital for specialty treatment, according to the proposal, filed Jan. 31.

According to the proposal, 24 beds would be added for patients in intensive care and 25 beds for medical and surgical patients. The additional beds would increase the hospital’s total bed capacity to 943, according to the application.

The plan also includes building a threestory connector between the Feinberg and Galter pavilions on the hospital’s campus in River North.

In a statement, the hospital said the added beds would allow “more timely transfer of patients from the emergency department to inpatient units,” while the new connector “will help transfer patients, supplies, equipment and meals between the two buildings with more efficiency.”

The proposal estimates completion in December 2022.

The review board received the hospital’s application on Jan. 31. The deadline to request a public hearing on the proposal is Feb. 19. The deadline for written comment is June 10.

The project is scheduled for the state review board’s June 30 meeting.