Lorenzo Muñoz, MD, knew his whole life that he wanted to be a surgeon. Once exposed to neurosurgery in medical school, he was hooked.

“I was fascinated by the opportunity to work on arguably the most important part of somebody’s body — the brain — and touch people’s lives in their moments of need,” says Dr. Muñoz, who specializes in brain tumor care. “Over time it has really developed into a passion. I tremendously enjoy what I do, my interactions with patients and the ability to help make them better.”

A neurosurgeon at RUSH for almost 25 years, Dr. Muñoz will soon begin seeing patients in the Joan and Paul Rubschlager Building.

“It’s a remarkable, state-of-the-art structure,” he said. “Not only is it beautiful, it is very patient-centric and allows for better access. All of this adds up to an improved patient experience, cutting down on the amount of appointments and allowing patients to get all of the information they need from virtually everybody at the same time.”

Also essential: proximity to other RUSH specialists and services.

“Collaboration is a way of life at RUSH. And in the new building, I’m going to be working shoulder to shoulder with my other colleagues that are going to be taking care of the same patients,” he says.

The team includes neurosurgeons, neurologists, neuropsychologists and the physical medicine and rehabilitation team.

“Collaboration is a way of life at RUSH."

“We’re going to be at arm’s length from one another,” he said. “Which is important because among other things, you can get immediate feedback from other members of the team, saving patients from having to make multiple trips to see other specialists.”

Designed with patients top of mind, the Joan and Paul Rubschlager Building will provide a seamless experience for patients and visitors, allowing them to drive right up the building and come in for their appointments.

“Our patients need not only the best medical care, but they also need the logistics of life to match their expectations,” Dr. Muñoz said. “At RUSH, we’re in the business of taking care of difficult, challenging problems. That’s what we do best.”