Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge, Illinois, is a teaching, research and tertiary care hospital and Level I trauma center and among the largest hospitals in the Chicago area. It was founded almost 110 years ago and is celebrating its 45th year at its Park Ridge location. Advocate Lutheran General Children's Hospital is one of the most comprehensive providers of pediatric care in the state. It is the only children's hospital in the north and northwest suburbs of Chicago, and serves as a major Midwest referral center for infants and children, especially for complex illnesses and chronic conditions. The hospitals are part of Advocate Health Care, one of the top health care systems in the country and the largest fully integrated health care delivery system in Illinois.

Overview
617-bed hospital and medical staff of physicians, dentists and other professionals who have distinguished themselves throughout Chicagoland as clinicians, teachers, researchers and leaders in the health care industry 1,016 physicians representing 51 specialties and subspecialties Affiliated with several area medical schools, and is one of the largest non-university training centers for primary care physicians in Illinois Sixth largest hospital in the Chicago metropolitan area; largest employer in the City of Park Ridge.

Lutheran General is the most nationally distinguished hospital in Illinois:

Recognized nine times as one of the 100 Top Hospitals in the country and one of the top 15 major teaching hospitals in the nation by Solucient's national Benchmarks for Success study. Repeated recipient of multiple awards and top rankings from HealthGrades, a national hospital-rating agency. Named 2005 Employer of the Year by National Able Network Clinical Excellence

Among U.S. News & World's Report's top 50 in the country for its medical excellence and advanced treatment capabilities in cardiovascular services, cancer care, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, gynecology, geriatrics, ear/nose/throat, digestive and respiratory disorders. Ranked as one of the top 10 hospitals in the nation for quality of care following a two-year study by Consumer's Checkbook, a Washington, D.C. based nonprofit consumer education organization. Selected as one of only 12 newborn intensive care units in the country to participate in the nation's first advanced collaborative quality initiative. Community Commitment and Philanthropy Community outreach programs include many wellness offerings, health fairs, screenings and lectures provided free throughout the year. Other programs include:

The first health literacy awareness campaign in the northwest suburbs to teach physicians and health care workers throughout the community how to identify and communicate effectively with individuals who cannot read, understand or act on basic health information First school-based health center in the northwest suburbs and in-school clinic in Chicago to assist autistic, developmentally delayed and special need students. $2.3 million in gifts and pledges raised (in 2004) from individuals and organizations for investments in advanced care, community programs and expanded clinical capabilities.

Advanced Technology
First in the world to install a pediatric computed tomography (CT) suite utilizing the innovative Philips Ambient Experience technology Offers Chicagoland's most comprehensive robotic-assisted surgical program for cardiac, general surgery, urology and pediatric procedures First hospital in the state to offer the revolutionary intra-operative MRI treatment of brain tumors Features a fully integrated surgery suite with telemedicine capabilities Electronic intensive care unit (eICU™) monitoring offers patients around-the-clock, real-time audio and video monitoring of ICU patients from one central command center. Operates one of the most sophisticated imaging centers in the United States. Operates state's largest hyperbaric treatment center to treat a diverse array of health conditions including nonhealing wounds associated with diabetes, chronic bone infections and radiation tissue damage.

Advocate Lutheran General Hospital

Founded over 100 years ago, Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston is a 375 bed teaching institution serving patients from Chicago's far north side and northern suburbs. There are 475 physicians on staff providing care for a diverse patient population that includes 130,000 outpatient visits, 13,000 admissions, and 7100 operative cases per year. Saint Francis has been designated as a "Top 100 Cardiac Hospital" and is also a Level I Trauma Center. Additionally, Saint Francis is part of Resurrection Health Care, a large Catholic healthcare network serving Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. The hospital continues to renew itself with current projects including renovation of the Heart Center, sequential patient floor renovation and other facility enhancements.

The surgical experience is broad and comprehensive and includes general, advanced laparoscopic, peripheral vascular surgery, and endoscopy. The surgical rotations at Saint Francis Hospital have been combined into a single service. We have found that by doing so, there is more balance, flexibility, and improved communication among team members. Furthermore, comprehensive care for many of the various patient needs can be met easily by one team. Currently, a variety of advanced laparoscopic surgery is being performed as well as aortic stent grafting, carotid surgery, and therapeutic endoscopy that all form part of the resident operative experience.

We have a unique exposure to geriatric care that provides opportunity to manage multiple and complex medical and surgical disease processes in this elderly population. Nearly one-half of the hospitalized patients are greater than 70 years of age. This experience highlights the identification of the physiologic and pathophysiologic changes that occur with aging and will concentrate on those surgical problems that present in this age group. This will include recognition of the sometimes subtle presentation of specific disease states such as ischemic bowel, GI bleeding, and a variety of neoplastic conditions.

A rotation in Anesthesia provides intubation and invasive monitoring experience while a breast center offers training in stereotactic and ultrasound guided breast biopsy. These minimally invasive techniques combined with an active endoscopy program provide valuable outpatient procedural experience for the residency.

The conferences at Saint Francis include a daily Morning Report as well as a weekly Morbidity and Mortality and Tumor Conference. Every other week is a Pathology Conference that highlights cases that have been operated by those service team members in the prior two weeks time. This conference is very well received.

Surgery residents rotating at Saint Francis will have a unique opportunity to work alongside their colleagues in Internal Medicine, Gynecology, Radiology, and Emergency Medicine. We now also have a Transitional Resident rotating with the surgical team on a continuing basis as well as Physician Assistant students from Malcolm X College in Chicago. This interaction facilitates patient care and also fosters mutual respect amongst various healthcare givers in an integrated learning system. Additionally, medical students from the University of Illinois provide continued questioning of the status quo as well as educational stimulus to learn. Finally, an office experience provides continuity of care as well as pre and postoperative evaluation of surgical patients.

There are a variety of support services available to the residents at the hospital. This includes a full service library with the most up-to-date journals and texts, both hard copy and on-line available 24 hours a day. Parking in an enclosed garage is provided without charge as well as meals and adequate call rooms. There is a computer in the call room with internet access and the ability to scan documents and x-rays for case presentations.

Surgical residents rotating at Saint Francis will work closely with the attendings and within the 80-hour weekly timeframe guidelines. An exit interview is provided at the conclusion of each resident's rotation.  

St. Francis Hospital of Evanston