Northwestern Memorial Hospital buys land in Chicago’s north suburbs

Northwestern Memorial Hospital has quietly purchased a 10-acre piece of undeveloped land for future expansion in Northbrook, IL. The hospital has spent more than $1 billion to build two new hospitals in the last decade in downtown Chicago, and its specific plans for the new site are uncertain. Chicago-area hospitals have been engaged in building sprees of late in an effort to attract insured patients in affluent suburbs. Some hospitals, mostly non-profit, say they need to generate revenue by opening hospitals in areas with more insured patients to cover costs of those who cannot pay their bills.