Source: CMS Care Compare, July 2026 releaseER figures are medians, not live waitsAbout the data
Visiting Northwestern Memorial Hospital
- Photo ID and your insurance, Medicare or Medicaid card
- A list of your medicines, doses and allergies
- Your doctor's name and phone number
- A phone charger
Official links: Website for Northwestern Memorial Hospital (opens the hospital's site)
Nearby hospitals
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- 2.5mi Children's Memorial Hospital Chicago, IL · Emergency room Call Children's Memorial Hospital Directions to Children's Memorial Hospital (Google Maps) Details for Children's Memorial Hospital
Quick answers about Northwestern Memorial Hospital
How long is the ER wait at Northwestern Memorial Hospital?
CMS doesn't publish live wait times. Over the 12 months CMS reported, patients treated and sent home spent a median of 5 hr 50 min in the Northwestern Memorial Hospital emergency room (the average across Illinois hospitals is 2 hr 54 min). 10% of ER patients left before being seen. For tonight's wait, check the hospital's website (opens the hospital's own site) or call (312) 926-2000. In an emergency, call 911.
What is the phone number for Northwestern Memorial Hospital?
The main phone number for Northwestern Memorial Hospital is (312) 926-2000, from Medicare's hospital records.
Call (312) 926-2000What is the address of Northwestern Memorial Hospital?
Northwestern Memorial Hospital is at 251 E Huron St, Chicago, IL 60611.
Directions (opens Google Maps)Does Northwestern Memorial Hospital have an emergency room?
Yes. Northwestern Memorial Hospital has an emergency department, according to Medicare data.
What is Northwestern Memorial Hospital's Medicare star rating?
Northwestern Memorial Hospital has an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Star ratings come from CMS quality and safety measures, not patient reviews.
Quality and performance
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · data as of July 2026
Patients treated and sent home from the emergency department at Northwestern Memorial Hospital spend a median of 5 hours 50 minutes there. That is 2 hours 56 minutes longer than the average across Illinois hospitals (2 hours 54 minutes).
Source: CMS Hospital General Information and Timely & Effective Care. Wait times are a median over a past 12-month reporting period, not live data. Not affiliated with CMS or with Northwestern Memorial Hospital. For a medical emergency, call 911.
Compare ER waits across Illinois · How Illinois hospitals rank on star ratings · Other birthing-friendly hospitals in Illinois · How we source this data · Something wrong on this page? Tell us
What patients say
CMS patient survey (HCAHPS) · 2,820 completed surveys · patients discharged Oct 2024 – Sep 2025
Patients gave Northwestern Memorial Hospital a 4-star patient experience rating out of 5. 81% would definitely recommend it (U.S. average 71%). 77% rated it 9 or 10 out of 10.
The patient survey (HCAHPS) asks a random sample of adult patients about their recent hospital stay. CMS adjusts the results for the mix of patients and how the survey was done, so hospitals can be compared fairly. About the data.
Compare Northwestern Memorial Hospital
Infections, complications and deaths
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · compared with hospitals nationwide
Of the 6 hospital-acquired infections CMS could compare, Northwestern Memorial Hospital was better than the national benchmark on 2 and worse on 0. Its rate of serious complications was better than national.
Hospital-acquired infections
Serious complications
Death rates within 30 days
| Patients treated for | This hospital | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Heart attack patients | 10.1% | 11.9% |
| Heart failure patients | 5.7% | 11.1% |
| Pneumonia patients | 7.9% | 15.2% |
| Stroke patients | 8.5% | 11.9% |
| COPD patients | 7.4% | 8.6% |
| Coronary bypass (CABG) surgery patients | 2.0% | 2.4% |
| Hospital-wide, all conditions | 2.2% | 3.9% |
Risk-adjusted rates. CMS has not published a statistical better/worse comparison for these death rates in the current release, so small differences from the U.S. rate may be chance.
Other complications
All 12 complication measures
| Measure | This hospital | U.S. | CMS comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complications after hip or knee replacement% of patients | 3.9 | 4.1 | Not compared |
| Deaths among surgical patients with serious treatable complicationsper 1,000 patients | 146.95 | 173.3 | Same as national |
| Pressure ulcers (bed sores)per 1,000 patients | 1.26 | 0.63 | Worse than national |
| Falls in the hospital that caused a broken boneper 1,000 patients | 0.32 | 0.27 | Same as national |
| Collapsed lung caused by a medical procedureper 1,000 patients | 0.15 | 0.21 | Same as national |
| Bleeding or blood clot under the skin after surgeryper 1,000 patients | 1.45 | 2.34 | Same as national |
| Kidney injury needing dialysis after surgeryper 1,000 patients | 0.65 | 1.67 | Same as national |
| Respiratory failure after surgeryper 1,000 patients | 1.71 | 9.42 | Better than national |
| Blood clots in the lungs or legs after surgeryper 1,000 patients | 2.81 | 3.52 | Same as national |
| Bloodstream infection (sepsis) after surgeryper 1,000 patients | 1.15 | 5.27 | Better than national |
| Surgical wound splitting openper 1,000 patients | 2.2 | 1.77 | Same as national |
| Accidental cuts or tears during abdominal surgeryper 1,000 patients | 0.9 | 1.06 | Same as national |
"Better" or "worse" means CMS found the difference from the national benchmark statistically significant; most hospitals are "no different". Infection results compare the infections a hospital reported with the number predicted for a hospital of its size and type (a ratio below 1 means fewer than predicted), for Oct 2024 – Sep 2025. Death and complication rates are risk-adjusted for how sick patients were. Each death rate counts deaths within 30 days of a hospital stay, pooled over one to three years of Medicare patients depending on the measure. About the data.
Health insurance at Northwestern Memorial Hospital
Original Medicare: Medicare-certified, so it can bill Original Medicare (Medicare number 140281). Medicare Advantage plans have their own networks, which this section does not cover.
Illinois runs its own exchange, Get Covered Illinois. Check its provider directory for Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Source: the insurers' 2027 machine-readable provider files listed in the CMS Marketplace public use files, loaded November 4, 2026, matched to hospitals by NPI from CMS Hospital Enrollments. How we match networks to hospitals Networks change; confirm with your insurer before you go.
Readmissions and return visits
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · Medicare patients · Jul 2023 – Jun 2025
On the 4 readmission and return-visit measures CMS could compare, Northwestern Memorial Hospital was no different from the national rate or its expected level.
Back in the hospital within 30 days
| After a stay for | This hospital | U.S. | CMS comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heart attack | 14.5% | 14.4% | Not compared |
| Heart failure | 19.6% | 21.3% | Not compared |
| Pneumonia | 17.7% | 17.3% | Not compared |
| COPD (chronic lung disease) | 21.5% | 20% | Not compared |
| Heart bypass surgery (CABG) | 11% | 11% | Not compared |
| Hip or knee replacement | 5.6% | 5.8% | Not compared |
Return trips after a stay or procedure
Medicare's readmission program
Excess readmission ratio: this hospital's predicted readmissions divided by the number expected for a typical hospital with the same patients. Above 1.00 means more readmissions than expected. 3 of 6 conditions are above 1.00.
| Condition | Ratio | Patients | Readmissions |
|---|---|---|---|
| COPD | 1.084 | 174 | More than expected |
| Pneumonia | 1.042 | 796 | More than expected |
| Hip or knee replacement | 1.033 | 482 | More than expected |
| Heart attack | 0.991 | 175 | Fewer than expected |
| Heart failure | 0.958 | 1,224 | Fewer than expected |
| Heart bypass surgery | 0.957 | 152 | Fewer than expected |
Readmission rates count Medicare patients who were admitted to any acute-care hospital within 30 days of leaving this one, adjusted for how sick they were. "Better" or "worse" means CMS found the difference from the national rate statistically significant; most hospitals are "no different". Return-day and outpatient-surgery measures compare the hospital with what CMS expected for its own patients. The Readmissions Reduction Program ratios are shown as CMS publishes them; whether a hospital's payments are reduced depends on how its ratios compare with similar hospitals, so a ratio above 1.00 alone doesn't mean a penalty. About the data.
Timely and effective care
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · all patients unless noted · Oct 2024 – Sep 2025
Northwestern Memorial Hospital's emergency department is classed by CMS as very high volume.
| Measure | This hospital | U.S.* |
|---|---|---|
| Sepsis: got all recommended early treatmentPatients with severe sepsis or septic shock who received every step of the recommended early care bundle. Higher is better. 68 patients. | 50% | 65% |
| Septic shock: full treatment within 3 hoursHigher is better. 19 patients. | 53% | 73% |
| Typical time in the ER before going homeMedian minutes from arrival to leaving, for ER patients sent home (not counting mental health patients or transfers). Lower is better. 359 patients. | 350 min | 162 min |
| Typical ER time for mental health patients sent homeMedian minutes from arrival to leaving. Lower is better. 39 patients. | 422 min | 257 min |
| Patients who left the ER before being seenLower is better. 100,759 patients. | 10% | 2% |
| Health care workers vaccinated against fluHigher is better. 18,847 patients. | 95% | 78% |
| Discharged on two opioids, or an opioid and a benzodiazepinePatients sent home with prescriptions that raise the risk of overdose when combined. Lower is better. 11,157 patients. | 17% | 15% |
| Colonoscopy: right follow-up interval for average-risk patientsHigher is better. 101 patients. | 100% | 93% |
| Stroke: discharged on clot-prevention medicineHigher is better. 399 patients. | 97% | 98%* |
| Stroke with atrial fibrillation: discharged on a blood thinnerHigher is better. 95 patients. | 77% | 75%* |
CMS publishes these process-of-care measures without a better/worse verdict, so the U.S. figure is shown for context; small differences, or results based on few patients, may not mean much. *Median of all hospitals CMS reports, where CMS publishes no national figure. About the data.
Maternity care
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · reported by the hospital · Jan 2024 – Dec 2024
Maternity measures are reported by hospitals that deliver babies. The U.S. figure is the median of the hospitals CMS reports, not a CMS verdict. About the data.
Medicare spending and payment programs
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Value-based purchasing scores by area
| Area | Score (out of 100) |
|---|---|
| Clinical outcomesDeath rates and complications | 70 |
| Patient experiencePatient survey results | 55 |
| SafetyHospital-acquired infections | 18.3 |
| Efficiency and costMedicare spending per patient | 20 |
The Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program cuts Medicare payments by 1% for the quarter of hospitals with the worst scores. The Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program withholds a small share of every hospital's Medicare payments and pays it back according to the total performance score. A spending ratio of 1.00 equals the national median; spending reflects prices, the services patients received and care after discharge, not quality. Some hospitals, such as critical access, children's and cancer hospitals, are not part of these programs. About the data.
Care after a stay at Northwestern Memorial Hospital
Medicare-certified providers near this hospital, with their CMS ratings. A hospital discharge planner can make the referral.
Skilled nursing facilities nearby
- 0.3mi Terraces at the Clare Chicago, IL · 50 beds Medicare overall 5 of 5 stars · Short-stay quality 5 of 5
- 0.6mi Warren Barr Gold Coast Chicago, IL · 271 beds Medicare overall 4 of 5 stars · Short-stay quality 4 of 5
- 2.5mi Warren Barr South Loop Chicago, IL · 210 beds Medicare overall 1 of 5 stars · Short-stay quality 1 of 5
Skilled nursing ratings and inspections at Nursing Homes In Each State
Dialysis centers nearby See more
- 0.3mi FMC - NorthwesternChicago, IL
- 0.3mi USRC Northwestern Foundation Home DialysisChicago, IL
- 2.0mi FMC - West WillowChicago, IL
Home health agencies nearby See more
- 0.7mi Excell Home Health Services, INCChicago, IL Not rated
- 1.9mi Nexus Home Health, INCChicago, IL Not rated
- 2.0mi Heroes Home HealthChicago, IL · 72% would recommend
Hospice care providers nearby See more
- 3.4mi Unity Hospice of ChicagolandChicago, IL · 79% would recommend
- 4.2mi Vitas Healthcare Corporation of IllinoisChicago, IL · 68% would recommend
- 5.8mi Willow Branch HospiceChicago, IL Not rated
Source: CMS Care Compare. Distances are approximate.
Inpatient psychiatric unit
CMS Inpatient psychiatric care Quality Reporting Program, data through March 2025 · unit CCN 140281
Northwestern Memorial Hospital runs an inpatient psychiatric unit that reports its own results to Medicare. Follow-up within 7 days: 53% here, against 37% nationally. Where CMS compares facilities statistically, this one is no different from the national rate.
After discharge
During the stay
Source: CMS Inpatient psychiatric care Quality Reporting Program (Provider Data Catalog). Better/worse labels appear only where CMS itself compared the facility with the national rate; other figures are shown next to the national figure for context. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) or call 911.
Doctors at Northwestern Memorial Hospital
1,783 Medicare-enrolled doctors and other clinicians list this hospital as an affiliation, across 38 specialties.
Find doctors in Chicago
Medicare-enrolled specialists with a practice in Chicago, with addresses, phone numbers and the hospitals they work with.
Federal rules require hospitals to publish their prices, including the rates they've negotiated with each insurer and their cash prices. Northwestern Memorial Hospital lists them here:
From the hospital's price transparency file (www.nm.org/cms-hpt.txt), checked Oct 31, 2026. For an estimate of what you'll pay, ask the hospital or your insurer; Medicare's averages are on our procedure cost pages.
What Medicare paid at Northwestern Memorial Hospital
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · original Medicare patients · 2024
Average hospital charges and actual payments for the procedures Medicare patients most often had here, compared with the average for Illinois.
Hospital stays
| Stay | Stays | Avg billed | Avg payment (Medicare + patient) | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Septicemia or severe sepsis without ventilator >96 hours with major complicationsDRG 871 | 466 | $123,617 | $26,301 | +49% |
| Heart failure and shock with major complicationsDRG 291 | 310 | $69,736 | $16,321 | +38% |
| Respiratory infections and inflammations with major complicationsDRG 177 | 250 | $80,745 | $18,924 | +32% |
| Cardiac valve and other major cardiothoracic procedures without cardiac catheterizationDRG 219 | 201 | $431,072 | $87,941 | −1% |
| Other kidney and urinary tract diagnoses with major complicationsDRG 698 | 172 | $69,601 | $18,357 | +24% |
| Endovascular cardiac valve replacement and supplement procedures with major complicationsDRG 266 | 155 | $322,607 | $59,686 | +5% |
| Major hip and knee joint replacement or reattachment of lower extremity without major complicationsDRG 470 | 145 | $113,969 | $19,429 | +18% |
| Circulatory disorders except AMI, with cardiac catheterization with major complicationsDRG 286 | 139 | $132,480 | $27,402 | +23% |
Outpatient services
| Service | Services | Avg billed | Avg allowed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive Observation ServicesAPC 8011 | 1,858 | $26,228 | $2,630 |
| Level 1 Intraocular ProceduresAPC 5491 | 1,330 | $21,161 | $2,254 |
| Level 2 Excision/Biopsy/Incision and DrainageAPC 5072 | 989 | $14,457 | $1,558 |
| Level 2 Upper GI ProceduresAPC 5302 | 743 | $16,536 | $1,833 |
| Level 1 Endovascular ProceduresAPC 5191 | 568 | $29,876 | $3,154 |
Charges are the hospital's list prices; payments are what Medicare, the patient and any other insurer actually paid (for outpatient services, Medicare's allowed amount). Private insurance prices differ. "vs state" compares this hospital's average payment with the state average for the same stay. All procedure costs.
Size and finances
Medicare cost report · fiscal year ending Aug 2025
As reported by the hospital to CMS; not audited. Operating margin is income from patient care divided by net patient revenue and leaves out investment income and donations. Compare Illinois hospital finances.
Who owns Northwestern Memorial Hospital
Medicare enrollment and ownership records (PECOS)
Medicare lists the hospital's legal name as Northwestern Memorial Hospital, a non-profit organization, incorporated 1972.
3,399 doctors and other clinicians list Northwestern Memorial Hospital as a hospital affiliation in Medicare's clinician directory.
Organizations with 5% or more ownership (directly or through other companies), partnership interests or operational control, as the hospital reported them to Medicare. Records can lag behind recent sales. Individuals are not listed. Who owns America's hospitals.
Non-profit finances
IRS Form 990 · tax year ending Aug 2023 · Northwestern Memorial Healthcare (EIN 36-3152959)
As filed with the IRS by Northwestern Memorial Healthcare. Matched by name and address, so check the filing to confirm it's the right organization. See the full Form 990 filings · Non-profit hospital finances.
The area around Northwestern Memorial Hospital
HRSA shortage designations and BLS pay data
Primary care: Parts of Cook are federally designated health professional shortage areas (60 designations). Highest shortage score 20.
Mental health: Parts of Cook are federally designated health professional shortage areas (17 designations). Highest shortage score 21.
Dental: Parts of Cook are federally designated health professional shortage areas (20 designations). Highest shortage score 25.
Nurse pay: registered nurses in Illinois earn a median $95,990 a year. Healthcare salaries in Illinois.
Shortage areas are designated by the Health Resources and Services Administration where there are too few primary care, mental health or dental providers for the population; scores run from 0 to 25 for primary and mental health care and 0 to 26 for dental care, higher meaning greater need. Illinois shortage areas
Closest other hospitals
Healthcare pay in Illinois
Registered nurses across Illinois (all employers) earned a median of $95,990 a year (BLS, May 2025).Registered Nurse (RN) salary in IllinoisNurse Practitioner salary in IllinoisRespiratory Therapist salary in IllinoisHealthcare salaries in Illinois
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Cite this data
Writing about Northwestern Memorial Hospital? You're welcome to quote these figures. They are free to use under CC BY 4.0: please credit HospitalsInEachState.com and link to this page.