Endeavor Health received state approval March 12 to stop providing open-heart surgeries at Evanston Hospital and Highland Park Hospital.
The health system is planning to open what it describes as a “state of the art Cardiovascular Institute” at another hospital it owns, Glenbrook Hospital, in May. Once that happens, all Endeavor patients will get open-heart surgeries there. Evanston and Highland Park hospitals will still provide treatment for emergency heart issues and, if necessary, stabilize patients to allow them to be safely transported to Glenbrook Hospital.
The change is part of Endeavor’s broader strategy to put specialized services in one hospital within the system, which it maintains is a more efficient use of resources.
Any time a health care provider wants to stop providing a health service, it must go before the Illinois Health Facilities & Services Review Board. The board approved the request during its March 12 meeting, which was held at the Bolingbrook Golf Club.
According to Endeavor spokesperson Keith Hartenberger, Evanston and Highland Park hospitals “will continue to offer emergency cardiac care services.” He gave as examples cardiac catheterization, treatment for clogged arteries and irregular heartbeat and heart tests.
“They will also continue to offer echocardiograms, stress testing and advanced cardiology imaging,” Hartenberger added.
If a patient arrives at either hospital with a heart-related health emergency, he said, doctors will be on hand to respond. Patients who need surgery beyond that “will be assessed, stabilized and seamlessly transferred to Endeavor Health Glenbrook Hospital,” he said.
Hartenberger said the three hospitals have long used a common record-keeping system, “so patient access, care coordination, referral and scheduling will all transition seamlessly.”
As Hartenberger noted, this isn’t the first time Endeavor and its predecessor, NorthShore University HealthSystem, consolidated a type of health services in one hospital. In 2019, Skokie Hospital, which NorthShore acquired in 2009, became home to NorthShore Orthopaedic & Spine Institute, where system patients got surgeries and treatment for specialized bone, joint and spine injuries. Patients with bone and spinal injuries can get emergency care and less involved procedures elsewhere in the system.
“[This] is an example of how specialization for complex conditions leads to better outcomes,” Hartenberger said. “Centralizing our most complex cardiac services also enables more efficient utilization of our resources, both in terms of staffing and medical facilities, ensuring the highest quality of patient care.”
Endeavor Health was the result of a merger between NorthShore University HealthSystems and the Edward-Elmhurst Health system in early 2022. The joint system was originally called NorthShore – Edward-Elmhurst Health, but they decided to rebrand to Endeavor in December 2023. According to the Chicago Tribune, they wanted a simpler name that would create a unified identity.
Evanston, Glenbrook and Highland Park hospitals were part of NorthShore long before any of that. Evanston Hospital was the system’s original hospital. It opened Glenbrook Hospital in 1977 and acquired the Highland Park Hospital in 2001.
So, who pays for the patient transportation between Evanston/Highland Park hospital to Glenbrook? Insurance typically covers emergency transportation, but if the patient is stabilized….what then?
What a way to add more expense for patients. Who do you think will get stuck with the bill when you’re ” seamlessly transferred to Endeavor Health Glenbrook Hospital” from another Endeavor hospital??
I have been a Heart surgery patient for a year now and I must say I am a very blessed woman who can thank God that I had the privilege of having the cardiovascular team in my corner from highland Park and Evanston where I had surgery!!Great staffing and care thank you for your help and support!!