Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital Celebrates One Year of Excellence in Patient Care in Award-Winning New Facility

LAKE FOREST, IL– March 1, 2019 – It started with a team who envisioned the new Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital to become a leading destination for health and wellness. On March 3, 2018, after 5 years of meticulous planning, the dream turned into a reality, and serves as the premier healthcare facility in the northern Illinois region.

“The design and technology of this hospital allows us to provide a new level of care that we were not always able to do in our previous facility,” said Jeffrey Kopin, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital. “Since the hospital opening, we have been able to recruit new sub-specialty talent allowing for more complex Northwestern Medicine care delivered closer to home for those who reside in the northern Illinois region, including interventional pulmonology, electrophysiology and a multidisciplinary embolism response team. Our work to attract top specialists further exemplifies our mission that patients always come first.”

The hospital, which broke ground in 2014, provides patients convenient access to world-class physicians with seamless access to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, the No. 1 ranked hospital in Illinois by U.S. News & World Report. Since the opening, there have been more than 10 first-time complex clinical procedures never performed before at Lake Forest Hospital. Designed for physicians and staff to take advantage of the resources of an integrated academic health system, the new hospital offers video conferencing for staff and real-time video sharing in the operating rooms to enhance collaboration and care for patients. Additionally, the new Lake Forest Hospital offers collaborative spaces for caregivers and staff; a reduction in ambient noise and improved control over indoor lighting in patient, visitor, and staff areas.

“This hospital is equipped with the most advanced healthcare technology in the country, allowing us to provide the highest quality clinical care in a beautiful, comfortable and healing setting,” said Thomas J. McAfee, President of Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital. “While we are pleased to see our vision come to fruition, we continue to identify ways to improve processes so that Lake Forest Hospital remains at the forefront of delivering the highest level of care in the region.”

With all of the latest advancements, including recently receiving the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification, the hospital has kept its commitment to respecting the environment while providing world class care.

New Lake Forest Hospital by the Numbers

• 133,157 patient visits (March 3, 2018-Jan. 31st, 2019)

• Graduated the inaugural class of seven physicians from Northwestern McGaw Family Medicine Residency at Lake Forest

• 1,473 babies born, up 13% from the same time the previous year (March 3, 2018-December 31st)

• 37% increase in hospital volunteer hours

• 146,778 additional square feet

• Six local and global non-profit organizations receiving medical equipment, furniture, blankets and other items donated from the old hospital

• 90,000 square feet of windows (equal to nine basketball courts!)

• 1.325 million feet of drywall

The hospital’s five interconnected pavilions provide an integrated foundation for inpatient and ambulatory care that includes:

• 114 private inpatient rooms;

• 72 outpatient care spaces;

• Eight operating rooms;

• 106 clinic examination rooms.

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 storm water retention and reduce area flooding.