Patients move into new Lake Forest hospital
About 70 patients moved into the new Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital via ambulances and tunnels just before today's official opening.
The state-of-the-art hospital, located at 1000 N. Westmoreland, is fully operational and functions as a Level 2 trauma center for the suburbs, officials said.
"Our new hospital is now ready to provide high-quality, compassionate care to our patients," said Thomas J. McAfee, president of Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital. "We look forward to serving the community and providing a leading health care facility for those in the northern Chicago suburbs."
The $399 million new hospital, which broke ground in 2014, is anchored by Northwestern Memorial Hospital, ranked a No. 1 ranked hospital in Illinois by U.S. News & World Report.
The new structure offers collaborative spaces for caregivers and staff; a reduction in ambient noise and improved control over indoor lighting in patient, visitor, and staff areas. The hospital's five interconnected pavilions include 114 private inpatient rooms, 72 outpatient care spaces, eight operating rooms and 106 clinic examination rooms.
The hospital was designed for physicians and staff to take advantage of the resources of an integrated academic health system. For example, video conferencing for staff and real time video sharing in the operating rooms are available to enhance collaboration and care for patients.
"The design and technology of this new hospital will directly benefit our patients, and will allow us to provide a new level of care that we were not always able to do in our previous facility," said Dr. Jeffrey Kopin, chief medical officer, Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital. "Our patients always come first, and were the cornerstone of each decision that was made in the development of this hospital."
The Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest campus includes 116 acres of open space, with more than 7,000 feet of pedestrian and bicycle paths, nearly 700 new trees and a six-acre pond to support stormwater retention and reduce area flooding.