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NorthShore University HealthSystem and Edward-Elmhurst Health have merged into a nine-hospital system that will have roughly $5 billion in annual revenue and a dominant presence in Chicago's affluent north and west suburbs. 

The big picture: The pandemic has slowed down hospital merger activity, according to health care financial advisory firm Ponder & Co., but it didn't completely stop all deals — especially large mega-mergers like this NorthShore-Edward deal that pursue regional consolidation.

NorthShore, Edward-Elmhurst hospitals around Chicago merge

Hospital mergers have slowed down, but some big deals continue.

A NorthShore sign outside of its Skokie, Illinois, hospital.

NorthShore is consolidating the hospital market in affluent Chicago suburbs. Photo: Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images

Hospitals

Health care costs

NorthShore University HealthSystem and Edward-Elmhurst Health have <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="merged" data-vars-click-url="https://www.northshore.org/newsroom/press-releases/northshore-edward-elmhurst-health-finalize-merger/" data-vars-content-id="6c69fd1e-331c-4504-a9bc-6e5f2ca9bb91" data-vars-headline="NorthShore, Edward-Elmhurst hospitals around Chicago merge" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.northshore.org/newsroom/press-releases/northshore-edward-elmhurst-health-finalize-merger/" target="_blank">merged</a> into a nine-hospital system that will have roughly $5 billion in annual revenue and a dominant presence in Chicago&#x27;s affluent north and west suburbs. The big picture: The pandemic has slowed down hospital merger activity, according to health care financial advisory firm <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Ponder &amp; Co." data-vars-click-url="https://emma-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/pxibb/02a096ffdc705dd5e2dc33e7282bbc0b/Number_Announced_Hospital_Change_Control_Transactions_2009-2021.pdf?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=Click%20Here%20to%20Enlarge%20Report&amp;utm_campaign=Q4%202021" data-vars-content-id="6c69fd1e-331c-4504-a9bc-6e5f2ca9bb91" data-vars-headline="NorthShore, Edward-Elmhurst hospitals around Chicago merge" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://emma-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/pxibb/02a096ffdc705dd5e2dc33e7282bbc0b/Number_Announced_Hospital_Change_Control_Transactions_2009-2021.pdf?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=Click%20Here%20to%20Enlarge%20Report&amp;utm_campaign=Q4%202021" target="_blank">Ponder &amp; Co.</a>, but it didn&#x27;t completely stop all deals — especially large <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="mega-mergers" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/intermountain-scl-hospital-merger-d1102bf3-71ee-41ee-b554-8e10d94575f2.html" data-vars-content-id="6c69fd1e-331c-4504-a9bc-6e5f2ca9bb91" data-vars-headline="NorthShore, Edward-Elmhurst hospitals around Chicago merge" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/intermountain-scl-hospital-merger-d1102bf3-71ee-41ee-b554-8e10d94575f2.html" target="_self">mega-mergers</a> like this NorthShore-Edward deal that pursue <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="regional consolidation" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/beaumont-spectrum-hospital-systems-merger-michigan-1828362b-e32d-4eca-a0c6-fb4ffc75cbdc.html" data-vars-content-id="6c69fd1e-331c-4504-a9bc-6e5f2ca9bb91" data-vars-headline="NorthShore, Edward-Elmhurst hospitals around Chicago merge" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/beaumont-spectrum-hospital-systems-merger-michigan-1828362b-e32d-4eca-a0c6-fb4ffc75cbdc.html" target="_self">regional consolidation</a>.

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NorthShore, Edward-Elmhurst hospitals around Chicago merge

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