The new Rush hospital opens in 2012.

In 2006, Rush University Medical Center began a 10-year project to build new facilities, renovate existing buildings and adopt state-of-the-art new technologies. Known as the Rush Transformation, this effort will reconfigure our campus and our processes to put our patients and their families at the center of everything we do. These changes will support Rush's mission: to provide the very best care for our patients.

The most comprehensive construction and facilities renovation program in Rush's more than 170-year history, the Rush Transformation will continue into 2016. Construction now is under way on our new 14-story hospital tower, orthopedic ambulatory building and parking garage/central power plant. Watch the work in progress on the Rush Transformation Webcam.

In addition to enabling the Medical Center to provide even better health care for our patients, the Rush Transformation will contribute to a healthier environment for our patients, employees and all of Chicago by incorporating numerous environmentally sustainable features. Rush is seeking Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for its new hospital building. The U.S. Green Building Council, a nonprofit organization, awards LEED certification to buildings with high environmental standards. Read about the Rush Transformation's green features.

From the beginning, universal design standards also were incorporated into the design plans, ensuring barrier-free accessibility for people with disabilities. In fact, Rush has exceeded code requirements in many instances, striving for broad-spectrum solutions that help everyone, not just people with disabilities.

Transforming the Landscape of Medicine

The goals for the Rush Transformation include improving patient care and outcomes and improving the experience of receiving care at the Medical Center for both patients and their families.

The 14-story hospital includes a uniquely shaped five-story bed tower that groups patient rooms in small clusters around nursing stations, rather than long hallways, putting patients directly in the sightlines of their caregivers. By making all patient rooms private with the same layout, the staff will be able to find needed supplies and equipment immediately, further increasing patient safety and care.

The design of the new hospital also will place key services close to one another on a single, accessible level. This arrangement will minimize the need for patients and families to travel to multiple locations within the new hospital to receive these services, making patients' visits more convenient. This concept is exemplified in the hospital's state-of-the-art interventional platform, one of only three in the nation that groups operating rooms, special procedure rooms and recovery areas in a central location for patients' convenience and to facilitate collaboration between specialists.

The patient rooms and public spaces in the new hospital will be flooded with natural light and offer expansive views of the Chicago skyline. Plants will enliven the waiting rooms and rooftops. Patient rooms are large enough to accommodate visits from multiple family members and include sofas that convert to a bed for overnight stays.

The McCormick Foundation Center for Advanced Emergency Response, located on the first floor of the new hospital, will bring an unprecedented level of preparedness to the region in the event of widespread emergencies such as pandemics or bioterrorism.

A New Era in Hospital Design

The new Rush University Medical Center hospital represents a new era in hospital design, shaped by user input to improve quality and optimize the patient experience while creating an environmentally sustainable facility with the most advanced technology available.