Advocate Healthcare: A Comprehensive Network Of Hospitals

how many hospitals in the advocate system

Advocate Health is a non-profit, faith-based hospital network that was formed as a result of a merger between several health organizations. As of 2021, the Advocate system has 67 hospitals and over 1,000 sites of care, with 150,000 employees, including 21,000 physicians and 42,000 nurses. The health system serves nearly 6 million patients across six states: Illinois, Wisconsin, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama.

Characteristics Values
Number of hospitals 67
Number of sites of care 1,000+
Number of employees 150,000
Number of doctors 21,000
Number of nurses 42,000
Number of patients 6 million
Revenue $27 billion
Ranking Top 5 large health systems in the country

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Advocate Health Care: 10 hospitals, 400+ sites, 6,300 physicians

Advocate Health Care is the largest health system in Illinois, serving nearly 6 million patients across six states: Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Wisconsin. The health system has 10 hospitals, more than 400 sites of care, and 6,300 physicians. Advocate Health Care was created by a merger of Evangelical Health Systems Corporation (EHS) and Lutheran General Health System (LGHS), two faith-based, values-driven organizations, in January 1995. Between 1992 and 1995, the health care system added five more hospitals: Sheboygan Memorial Medical Center, Milwaukee Psychiatric Hospital, Hartford Memorial Hospital, Two Rivers Community Hospital, and West Allis Memorial Hospital. In 1995, two additional hospitals joined Aurora Health Care: Lakeland Medical Center and Trinity Memorial Hospital.

Several Advocate hospitals have earned Magnet Recognition from the American Nurse Credentialing Center (ANCC), including Advocate Christ Medical Center, Advocate Condell Medical Center, Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, Advocate Children's Hospital, Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, and Advocate Sherman Hospital. Magnet status represents hospital-wide teamwork and dedication to creating a positive environment, which helps attract the best physicians and nurses, resulting in better overall care for patients. Advocate Health Care has the state's largest physician network of primary care physicians, specialists, and sub-specialists. Advocate has academic and teaching affiliations with all major universities in the Chicago metropolitan area. Their four teaching hospitals include Advocate Christ Medical Center, Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, and Advocate Lutheran General Hospital.

In December 2017, Aurora Health Care and Advocate Health Care Network of Illinois announced a merger agreement. On April 2, 2018, the hospital networks merged, creating Advocate Aurora Health. In 2020, Advocate Aurora Health sold two Downstate Illinois hospitals to the Carle healthcare system. In October 2021, Advocate Aurora Health fired over 400 full- and part-time employees for not getting vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus. Advocate Aurora Health agreed in May 2022 to merge with Atrium Health, assuming the Advocate brand and headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina. The combined company will operate in six states with 67 hospitals and 150,000 employees, generating $27 billion in annual revenue.

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Merger with Atrium Health: 67 hospitals, 1,000+ sites, 150,000 employees

Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health have merged to become the fifth-largest nonprofit integrated health system in the United States. The merger, which was completed on December 2, 2022, has created a health system with 67 hospitals, more than 1,000 sites of care, and 21,000 physicians. The new organisation, now called Advocate Health, employs nearly 150,000 staff, including 42,000 nurses and more than 2,000 residents and fellows. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the health system serves nearly 6 million patients across six states: Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Wisconsin.

The merger between Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health has brought together two large health systems. Advocate Health Care, the largest health system in Illinois, previously operated 10 hospitals, more than 400 sites of care, and employed 6,300 physicians. Atrium Health, formerly known as the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hospital Authority, operated 40 hospitals, 7 freestanding emergency departments, over 30 urgent care centres, and more than 1,400 care locations across North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama.

The combined organisation, Advocate Health, now operates across more than 1,000 sites of care, including 67 hospitals and nearly 250 sites of care belonging to Advocate Health Care. The health system has a strong presence in the Chicago and Milwaukee areas and is committed to advancing health equity and improving access and affordability for the communities it serves.

The merger between Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health has created a large health system with a significant presence across six states. With nearly 150,000 employees, including physicians, nurses, researchers, and faculty, Advocate Health is well-positioned to improve health outcomes, advance health access, and accelerate medical breakthroughs. The organisation is committed to delivering the best health outcomes and making care more accessible and affordable for all.

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Magnet Recognition: eight hospitals with Magnet status

Magnet status is an award given by the American Nurses’ Credentialing Center (ANCC), an affiliate of the American Nurses Association, to hospitals that satisfy a set of criteria designed to measure the strength and quality of their nursing. Hospitals applying for Magnet designation must provide written documentation and outcome data to show that those standards have been achieved. The Magnet Recognition Program distinguishes health care organizations that demonstrate excellence in nursing and meet 88 sources of evidence for a redesignating hospital (116 sources of evidence for initial applicants). To achieve this prestigious status, the Magnet Recognition Program requires that a hospital undergo a rigorous evaluation.

Advocate Health Care, the largest health system in Illinois, has 10 hospitals, more than 400 sites of care, and 6,300 physicians. Advocate Health is now part of Advocate Aurora Health, which has combined with Atrium Health to serve nearly 6 million patients across six states and operate more than 1,000 sites of care.

Several Advocate hospitals have earned Magnet Recognition from the ANCC:

  • Advocate Christ Medical Center: Recipient of the 2017 Mission: Lifeline Receiving Center GOLD Recognition Award by the American Heart Association. In the 2018-2019 U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals issue, it tied for fourth overall Best Hospital in the state of Illinois and in the Chicago Metro Area.
  • Advocate Condell Medical Center: Designated as a Magnet organization in 2017 and re-designated in 2021.
  • Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital
  • Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital
  • Advocate Children's Hospital
  • Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center: One of Advocate Health's four teaching hospitals.
  • Advocate Lutheran General Hospital: Another one of Advocate Health's four teaching hospitals.
  • Advocate Sherman Hospital

Magnet status exemplifies the hospitals' commitment to their patients, their families, the community, and their nurses. It also represents hospital-wide teamwork and dedication to creating a positive environment, which helps attract the best physicians and nurses, resulting in better overall care for patients.

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History: founded in 1897, added five hospitals in the 1990s

The history of Advocate Health Care dates back to 1897 when it was founded in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighbourhood by Norwegian Lutheran congregations. Originally known as the Norwegian Lutheran Deaconess Home and Hospital, the organisation came under the Norwegian Lutheran Church in America in 1904, which later became the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

In 1995, Lutheran General Health System, also known as LGHS, merged with Evangelical Health Systems Corporation (EHS), another faith-based organisation, to form Advocate Health Care. This merger significantly expanded the network, as LGHS had already experienced substantial growth since the late 1950s with the establishment of Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge.

Between 1992 and 1995, Advocate Health Care added five more hospitals to its system: Sheboygan Memorial Medical Center (1992), Milwaukee Psychiatric Hospital (1993), Hartford Memorial Hospital (1993), Two Rivers Community Hospital (1993), and West Allis Memorial Hospital (1995). This expansion solidified the organisation's commitment to providing comprehensive care for its communities.

Following the addition of these five hospitals in the 1990s, Advocate Health Care continued to grow and evolve. In 1996, Memorial Hospital of Burlington joined the network, and in 1998, they built their first hospital in Kenosha, which opened in February 1999. Advocate Health Care has since become the largest health system in Illinois, with 10 hospitals, more than 400 sites of care, and 6,300 physicians.

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Locations: headquartered in Charlotte, NC, with a presence in six states

Advocate Health is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, and serves nearly 6 million patients annually across six states: Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Wisconsin.

The health system was formed as a result of a merger between Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health, which was finalised in 2022. The combined organisation operates more than 1,000 sites of care, including 67 hospitals, and has over 21,000 physicians and nearly 42,000 nurses.

Advocate Health is committed to redefining how, when, and where care is delivered to its patients. The organisation aims to improve safety and health outcomes, advance health equity, and accelerate medical breakthroughs. It is nationally recognised for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics, and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments, and specialised musculoskeletal programs.

Advocate Health is also focused on improving access and affordability for the communities it serves. It offers one of the nation's largest graduate medical education programs, with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Additionally, Advocate Health is dedicated to academic research and innovation, with partnerships with nearby medical schools and support for clinical trials and research studies.

Prior to the merger with Atrium Health, Advocate Aurora Health was a non-profit, faith-based hospital network with dual headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Downers Grove, Illinois. It was created through the merger of Advocate Health Care and Aurora Health Care in 2018. Advocate Health Care, the largest health system in Illinois, had 10 hospitals, more than 400 sites of care, and 6,300 physicians. Aurora Health Care, on the other hand, had a presence in Wisconsin and operated several hospitals in the state.

Frequently asked questions

The Advocate system has 67 hospitals.

There are over 1,000 sites of care in the Advocate system.

Advocate Health employs nearly 150,000 people.

There are over 21,000 physicians in the Advocate system.

Advocate Health's revenue is over $27 billion.

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