Rush University System for Health and Endeavor Health announced plans on October 14, 2026, to merge their Chicago-area hospital operations into a single 12-hospital academic health system, in what would become one of the largest nonprofit health systems in Illinois with nearly $11 billion in annual revenue.
The deal, announced in a joint press release on Wednesday, would bring together Rush's three hospitals — Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Rush Oak Park Hospital and Rush Copley Medical Center in Aurora — with Endeavor's nine hospitals across the Chicago suburbs, including Evanston, Glenview, Highland Park, Skokie, Arlington Heights, Elmhurst, Naperville and Chicago. The combined organization would employ more than 46,000 people across more than 400 care sites and serve over 2 million patients a year in Northern Illinois and Northwest Indiana, according to Fierce Healthcare.
The Rush name survives, Endeavor's fades
When the transaction closes, the merged system will operate under the Rush brand, chosen for its strong national reputation as a leading academic institution, while the Endeavor name will eventually disappear. The Endeavor hospitals are Swedish, Evanston, Edward, Skokie, Elmhurst, Glenbrook, Highland Park, Linden Oaks and Northwest Community hospitals.
Endeavor itself was formed in 2022 through the merger of NorthShore University HealthSystem and Edward-Elmhurst Health. The systems said patients should see no immediate changes while the proposal goes through regulatory review.
A $1 billion investment, split three ways
As part of the deal, Endeavor plans to fund a $1 billion investment in the new system: $300 million to broaden community impact, $500 million for academics and research, and $200 million for quality care and innovation, according to the joint press release. The funding will support community partnerships addressing social determinants of health, expansion of the health care workforce, and research into health equity and neuroscience.
"Together, Rush and Endeavor Health have an opportunity to create a stronger, more connected health system that sets a new standard for how care is delivered and experienced across our communities," said Gerald "J.P." Gallagher, Endeavor's president and CEO. "Patients and communities will benefit from improved access, advanced research and nationally recognized, high-quality care close to home."
Leadership changes and the road to closing
The merger is expected to close in early 2027, pending regulatory review and approval. Upon close, Gallagher would become president and CEO of the combined system. Dr. Omar Lateef, president and CEO of Rush University System for Health, would take on the role of CEO emeritus and strategic adviser. The new system would be governed by a 20-member board with equal representation from both organizations, chaired by a Rush appointee.
When asked whether the merger would lead to job losses, Lateef said he expects employment to grow: "We're doing this to grow and we want to grow our footprint. We want to grow in the state of Illinois. We expect jobs to increase." Gallagher acknowledged the economic pressures facing health care but said they did not directly drive the deal, adding that he wanted Endeavor's institutions to serve their communities for decades to come.
The announcement lands amid a nationwide wave of hospital consolidation in 2026, with health policy experts cautioning that consolidation can affect workers, services and prices — a dynamic regulators will weigh as the deal moves through review.
The takeaway: Two of Chicago's biggest health systems want to become one — 12 hospitals, $1 billion in promised investment, and the Rush name on every door. If regulators approve, early 2027 will mark the birth of an Illinois health care giant.
Watch: CBS Chicago's mid-day report on the Rush–Endeavor merger announcement, with details on the hospitals affected and what patients can expect as the deal moves through regulatory review.
Music in this post's reel: Kevin MacLeod - Long Road Ahead (incompetech.com), licensed under CC BY 3.0