Northwestern plans nearly $389 million expansion, modernization of Lake Forest Hospital

Northwestern Medicine is proposing a $388.7 million expansion and modernization of its Lake Forest Hospital, according to an application with the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board.

The project will include adding 96 new inpatient beds, bringing the hospital’s total to 210. The new beds include 84 medical and surgical beds and 12 intensive care unit beds.

The health system is also planning to expand the hospital’s emergency department, imaging equipment and inpatient rehabilitation services.

Overall, the plan includes more than 290,000 square feet of new construction and about 66,000 square feet of modernization.

The application said the expansion will “accommodate the significant demand of acute care services” that are occurring in northern Chicago suburbs, specifically due to the expansion of its specialty care services and the closure of Vista Medical Center West’s emergency department in Waukegan.

“Access to comprehensive, quality healthcare services is important for the achievement of optimal health and increasing quality of life,” the system said in its application. “The proposed addition of beds, emergency department stations and diagnostic imaging equipment will allow (the hospital) to return to the target occupancy/utilization levels.”

A spokesman for the health system declined additional comment.

If approved, the anticipated completion date is April 2028.

The review board has not set a tentative date to consider the application.

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