The Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board approved Chicago-based Northwestern Memorial Hospital’s application March 10 to expand its intensive care unit capacity, the hospital confirmed in a statement shared with Becker’s.
The $96 million project would convert former physician office space into ICU units, add 42 intensive care beds and build a two-story connector between the Galter and Feinberg pavilions, according to the application. The plan also includes additional clinical support space.
According to the application, the expansion is intended to relieve ICU capacity shortages that have contributed to backups in the emergency department and delays in transferring patients into inpatient beds.
“We are pleased that the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board has approved our application,” Northwestern Memorial said in its statement. “Once completed, this construction project will strengthen our ability to deliver world-class, compassionate care to our patients while supporting the essential needs of our clinical teams.”
The ICU project is separate from Northwestern Memorial’s longer-term campus expansion plans. The state board recently approved about $56 million in design work for a proposed new inpatient tower with more than 200 beds on the hospital’s Streeterville campus, according to the Chicago Tribune. The tower could open around 2031 if the project receives state approval.
According to Northwestern’s ICU expansion application, the approved ICU project is intended to help address near-term capacity needs until the tower could be completed.
“While the new tower will allow NMH to meet growing patient need for high-acuity services, this project is critical to bridge the gap between 2027 and 2031, when a new tower could open,” Northwestern Memorial said in its ICU expansion project application. “Given the high ongoing ICU occupancy rates and future projections for ICU utilization, the proposed project serves to accommodate a portion of the additional ICU beds needed at NMH.”
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