Northwestern Medicine

What it reported doing in 2024

The nmhc group return reflects the combined information and operations of nineteen tax exempt organizations. This includes nine hospital facilities, three medical groups, one foundation, and various other related entities supporting the healthcare mission of the system. Northwestern memorial hospital (EIN: 37-0960170) ("nmh") for more than 150 years, nmh and its predecessor institutions, passavant memorial and wesley memorial hospitals, have served the residents of chicago. The commitment to provide healthcare, regardless of the patients' ability to pay, reaches back to the founding principles of passavant and wesley and continues to be integral to our mission to put patients first. Nmh is an academic medical center (amc) hospital and serves as the primary teaching hospital for the northwestern university feinberg school of medicine ("feinberg"), with 2,565 physicians on the medical staff, the majority of whom have faculty appointments at feinberg. Nmh is among the limited number of hospitals in the united states to be designated as a major teaching hospital by the association of american medical colleges (aamc). According to the aamc, while major teaching hospitals represent only 5 percent of all hospitals, they account for 25 percent and 20 percent of all medicaid and medicare discharges, respectively, as well as provide 35 percent of the country's charity care. In aggregate, major teaching hospitals serve a higher proportion of low-income, dual-eligible, disabled and minority patients than other hospitals. As amcs serve as major referral centers and have very specialized expertise, they provide care to those patients who are unable to seek necessary care elsewhere and therefore have a patient population that is often more complex, sicker and more vulnerable than the general patient population. Nmh is a 943-bed, adult acute care hospital located in chicago's growing downtown area and saw more than 48,000adults admitted as inpatients in fiscal year 2025. As an adult level i trauma center in downtown chicago with 24/7 service, nmh had more than 90,600 emergency department (ed) visits in fiscal year 2025. Nmh is also the only amc hospital in chicago participating in both city and state level i trauma networks and as a level iii neonatal intensive care unit, allowing us to provide lifesaving care and treatment to the most seriously injured adults and premature and sick infants. Nmh has the largest birthing center in Illinois, with more than 11,600 deliveries in fiscal year 2025. Northwestern medicine central dupage hospital (EIN: 36-2513909) ("cdh") cdh has a rich history of caring for its community. The 406-bed, tertiary-care facility located in winfield, Illinois offers emergency, inpatient and outpatient care in medical and surgical services, obstetrics, pediatrics, behavioral health, cardiology, neurology and oncology to residents of dupage county and surrounding areas. Cdh is designated as a level ii trauma center and provides level iii neonatal intensive care; cdh ems serves as a state-designated resource hospital. It is also a regional destination for oncology, orthopedic, pediatric and cardiology care. Cancer patients are offered highly advanced treatment at the state's first and only proton therapy center. Cdh has 1,457 physicians on the medical staff and they are trained in more than 90 specialty areas. In fiscal year 2025, cdh had 24,100 inpatient admissions. Cdh's ed had 78,500 visits in fiscal year 2025. Northwestern lake forest hospital (EIN: 36-2179779) ("lfh") with roots in the northern chicago region, lfh was founded in 1899 as alice home on the campus of lake forest college. Since its founding, lfh has upheld the promise to provide lake county residents with convenient access to quality care supported by advanced diagnostics and technology. The current lake forest hospital includes 114 private inpatient rooms, 72 outpatient care spaces, eight operating rooms and 483,500 square feet of new construction on its 16

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 76.7%; rating input score 77
• Program expense ratio: 78.5%; rating input score 79
• Fundraising efficiency: $7.21 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 32; 32nd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 93.8%; rating input score 94; 25th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 6 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Pass
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Pass
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Scored; rating input score 0
• Grant itemization coverage: 99.4%; rating input score 99; 40th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Scored; rating input score 0

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 79.5%; rating input score 80; 27th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 2.3%; rating input score 44; 44th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.41; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.26; rating input score 61; 61st percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 0.6%; rating input score 82; 82nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 10.9% per year; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 11.6% per year; rating input score 100; 82nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 7.9% per year; rating input score 100; 58th percentile among comparable filings