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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
CELEBRATING THE NEW ADDITION TO ADVOCATE ILLINOIS MASONIC MEDICAL CENTER’S INPATIENT WING AND RECOGNIZING ITS HISTORIC TIES TO COOK COUNTY AND THE FANTUS LEGACY
WHEREAS, Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center (IMMC), located in the heart of Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood in Cook County’s 10th District, has served the residents of Cook County with distinction for over a century, with a longstanding commitment to innovation, access, and compassionate care; and
WHEREAS, IMMC is one of only five Level 1 Trauma Centers in Chicago and plays a vital role as a safety-net hospital, delivering critical services regardless of a patient’s ability to pay and serving a growing number of uninsured and underinsured residents from across Cook County; and
WHEREAS, the hospital recently completed the first phase of an ambitious eight-year, $645 million modernization project, which will essentially double the hospital’s physical footprint and significantly expand its capacity to provide high-quality, patient-centered care to the people of Cook County; and
WHEREAS, this expansion includes 333,000 square feet of new medical space, supporting a broad range of vital services, state-of-the-art surgical suites, and a fully modernized Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU); and
WHEREAS, the new five-story patient pavilion adds 326 replacement beds, each housed in private rooms of more than 300 square feet-designed to enhance healing, provide comfort to families, and reduce infection risk-while a four-story expansion to the Center for Advanced Care will deliver expanded oncology services, new operating rooms, and a leading-edge Breast Care Center; and
WHEREAS, the hospital’s modernized Women’s Health and Birthing Center will now offer private NICU suites, labor and delivery rooms, and surgical ORs, ensuring expectant mothers in Cook County receive compassionate, comprehensive, and dignified maternal care in a safe and healing environment; and
WHEREAS, IMMC’s new infrastructure also incorporates environmental innovation, including a 24,000-square-foot green roof that reduces stormwater runoff, mitigates urban heat, and promotes biodiversity furthering Cook County’s sustainability goals; and
WHEREAS, this investment is not only a triumph of healthcare infrastructure but also a recommitment to equity and access, ensuring that lifesaving care - including trauma, maternal, surgical, and cancer care - remains accessible to all, especially vulnerable populations throughout the North Side and greater Cook County region; and
WHEREAS, this expansion continues the hospital’s strong connection to Cook County’s public health history and the Fantus family legacy, beginning with Dr. Bernard Fantus, a pioneering physician at Cook County Hospital who established the world’s first hospital-based blood bank in 1937, revolutionizing modern medicine and trauma care; and
WHEREAS, the Fantus Clinic, which operated for nearly 60 years as a crucial safety-net facility for vulnerable Cook County residents, left a legacy of public health leadership that continues to shape the hospital’s mission today; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Richard Fantus, great-nephew of Dr. Bernard Fantus, currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Department of Surgery and Medical Director of Trauma Services at IMMC and was present at the dedication of the new inpatient tower, serving as a living testament to the Fantus family’s enduring contributions to medicine and public health in Cook County; and
WHEREAS, this historic expansion was made possible through the generosity of numerous philanthropic partners, whose support ensures that all patients, regardless of background or income, continue to receive exceptional care; and
WHEREAS, the opening of this new facility represents a transformative milestone in healthcare delivery for the region, reinforcing IMMC’s role as a cornerstone of Cook County’s safety-net system and a national model for community-focused, equity-driven health care.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners, on behalf of the residents of Cook County, does hereby congratulate Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center on the grand opening of its new inpatient wing and expanded NICU;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, President Matthew Primack, and Dr. Richard Fantus in recognition of their unwavering dedication to the health and well-being of the people of Cook County.
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