Endeavor Health CEO Details Plans for Rush Merger Integration

Speaking at Becker's 14th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, Endeavor Health President and CEO J.P. Gallagher discussed the planned merger between Endeavor Health and Rush University System for Health, first announced Oct. 14. The combination will create a 12-hospital system with more than 46,000 employees serving 2 million patients across northern Illinois and northwest Indiana, closing in early 2027 under the Rush brand. Gallagher described it as a 50/50 merger with equal governance, a 20-member board split evenly between the organizations, and leadership drawn from both sides; he will lead the combined system while Rush CEO Omar Lateef will become CEO emeritus. Endeavor will fund a $1 billion investment covering community impact, academics and research, and quality care and innovation.