CHICAGO, IL – February 11, 2026 – Chicago philanthropist Neil G. Bluhm and the Bluhm Family Foundation are underscoring their commitment to life-saving heart care with a $50 million gift to the Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute (BCVI). The gift builds on two decades of generosity from Bluhm, bringing his total gifts to BCVI to $135 million. The additional funds will expand access to cardiac care and bolster what is consistently ranked among the top 10 heart programs in the nation and among the top 20 cardiac surgery centers in the world. 

“My main goal has always been to ensure that anyone who needs world-class heart care can get it,” said Bluhm. “We made this possible 20 years ago in downtown Chicago and built on that when we expanded care into the suburbs. It has been one of my greatest honors to watch this program touch so many lives and I’m humbled to continue supporting this mission.”

World-class care for all

Since Bluhm’s initial gift to establish BCVI in 2005, the institute has treated hundreds of thousands of patients and saved countless lives across Chicago and beyond. Subsequent contributions helped advance health equity by extending top-tier care throughout the region, closer to where people live and work. Bluhm’s generosity has supported research, recruited physicians, and established programs like the Center for Artificial Intelligence and the Bluhm Heart Hospital at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

This latest $50 million gift will support the following initiatives:

• Further expand access to heart care by bringing new technologies and innovative therapies to Northwestern Medicine’s nine-hospital health network
• Increase the footprint of Bluhm Heart Hospital with more procedural space
• Support new research and clinical trials
• Develop breakthrough innovations for leading-edge advances in cardiovascular medicine
• Support fellowships to train the next generation of physician talent
• Recruit world-class physician leaders

“Generous contributions from the Bluhm Family have continuously fueled our commitment to saving lives and putting patients first,” said Howard Chrisman, MD, president and chief executive officer, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare. “By investing in the future of cardiac medicine, BCVI will continue to stand as a beacon of hope for patients all over the world and for generations to come.”

Building on better medicine

Because of Bluhm’s philanthropy, BCVI has sustained explosive growth since its inception. The institute went from treating 1,000 patients in its inaugural year to more than 48,000 new patients in 2025. Today, the institute spans 18 locations throughout the greater Chicago area and employs 2,400 clinicians. A team of more than 186 specialized cardiologists, cardiac and vascular surgeons take on some of the toughest cases that other health systems are forced to turn away. To date, BCVI has achieved milestones such as:

• Ranked among the top 10 cardiology, heart and vascular programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for the last 10 years
• Among the top 20 hospitals in the world for cardiac surgery as ranked by Newsweek
• Seventh ranked patient-preferred hospital in the nation for heart care
• Among the top 15 hospitals in the nation for heart attack survival
• 900% cardiac surgery growth since 2005
• 96% patient satisfaction
• Treated patients from at least 40 countries and all 50 states
• 3,100 cardiac and vascular manuscripts published over the last three years
• $100 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health since 2020

“As we conclude the celebration of BCVI’s first 20 years, this extraordinary gift ensures we are not only honoring our past, but shaping the next 20 years of cardiovascular care,” said Patrick M. McCarthy, MD, executive director of Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute. “This commitment keeps Northwestern Medicine at the forefront of cardiovascular medicine, empowering us to deliver superior outcomes for patients today and into the future.”

Thanks to Bluhm’s unwavering support, BCVI can continue making strides in the fight against heart disease by making care more accessible, supporting clinical talent, advancing infrastructure, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in cardiac medicine. 

For more information about cardiovascular treatments at Northwestern Medicine, visit nm.org/heart.

CLEARWATER, Fla., June 5, 2025 – BayCare, one of Florida’s leading not-for-profit health systems, and Northwestern Medicine, Chicago’s premier integrated academic health system, are embarking on a strategic collaboration to expand access to advanced medical treatments, enhance clinical research, and improve training and education for current and future physicians in West Central Florida.

By collaborating with Northwestern Medicine, a nationally recognized academic health system that includes Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, BayCare is securing a final key piece in its efforts to grow as an academic health system serving the region, which includes the Tampa Bay area.

BayCare has one of the fastest-growing graduate medical education programs in the nation and an established research infrastructure, creating a solid foundation for integrating academic advancement with patient care.

“This isn’t the beginning, it’s the next step in a journey we’ve been focused on for years,” said Stephanie Conners, president and chief executive officer of BayCare. “West Central Florida deserves more access to academic medicine and by entering into a strategic collaboration with Northwestern Medicine, we will accelerate our trajectory as an academic health system.”

BayCare and Northwestern Medicine will look to expand access to advanced medical treatments and research while creating new educational and training opportunities for physicians, residents, and students, enhancing BayCare’s ability to attract, retain and train health care professionals to serve the growing needs of the region.

 “We are focused on collaborating with likeminded organizations that are driven by providing patients with greater access to world-class compassionate care, closer to where they live and work,” said Howard Chrisman, MD, president and chief executive officer, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare. “By collaborating with BayCare, we have the opportunity to train and educate the next generation of medical professionals and transform the clinical offerings to patients in West Central Florida.”

As Chicago’s premier integrated academic health system, Northwestern Medicine offers patients access to world-class, compassionate care at 11 hospitals and more than 200 diagnostic and ambulatory sites. The health system is anchored by Northwestern Memorial Hospital. For 13 consecutive years, Northwestern Memorial has been named to the Best Hospitals Honor Roll by U.S. News and World Report, with 11 specialties ranked nationally. Most noteworthy being, Northwestern Memorial is one of only three hospitals in the nation to receive a U.S. News rating of High Performing in all procedures and conditions.

Under the collaboration, BayCare will continue to grow as West Central Florida’s leading not-for-profit academic health system, providing more than one-third of all services in the region, with 16 hospitals and hundreds of other locations. It is the region’s largest provider of cardiac, behavioral health and pediatric services and its provider group, BayCare Medical Group, is one of the largest in the region. BayCare's diverse network of ambulatory services includes laboratories, imaging, surgical centers, BayCare Urgent Care locations, wellness centers and one of Florida's largest home care agencies, BayCare HomeCare. BayCare's mission is to improve the health of all it serves through community-owned, health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. The collaboration will not change BayCare’s ownership, leadership or the composition of its board of trustees, who are all volunteer West Central Florida leaders.

With a signed definitive agreement in place, leaders from both organizations are engaged in the first phase of the collaboration, which will focus on educational and professional development opportunities for clinicians and clinical research development.

“BayCare and Northwestern Medicine share a strategic vision to transform health care by investing in the development of tomorrow’s health care leaders,” said Sowmya Viswanathan, MD, chief physician executive of BayCare. “Our work together will enable us to provide even more innovative care in the compassionate, community-focused environment our patients want and deserve. More education, training and research mean more access and deeper expertise are available to our patients. And that’s why we’re here – to serve our communities.”

BayCare and Northwestern Medicine announced the collaboration Thursday afternoon at Tampa Bay Park in one of the three office buildings that BayCare recently acquired. BayCare announced it was naming its 36-acre part of the office park the BayCare Academic Health and Research Corridor to reflect its plans to consolidate and grow its academic and research efforts at the location, including the collaboration with Northwestern Medicine. The acquisition for the Corridor increased BayCare’s property holdings in west Tampa by 75%. The Corridor sits just west of three of BayCare’s 16 hospitals: St. Joseph’s, St. Joseph’s Children’s and St. Joseph’s Women’s.

About BayCare

To learn more about BayCare, please visit BayCare.org.

About Northwestern Medicine

To learn more about Northwestern Medicine, please visit NM.org.