The new building, attached to the main hospital, allows Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center to expand and centralize three medical specialties — cancer care, digestive health and outpatient surgery — in a single, integrated facility. The goal of the new center is to improve access to care, continuity among disciplines, enhanced operational efficiencies and a better overall experience for patients and their families. More than 20,000 patients are expected to be cared for in the building annually.

The Angelo P. Creticos Cancer Center, formerly situated in a building located at the southwest corner of Wellington and Mildred in Chicago, has been relocated to the north end of the Center for Advanced Care. The cancer center now has two new linear accelerators for targeted cancer treatment, 16 infusion bays and an educational resource area

The building provides seven times the medical center’s previous space dedicated for digestive health. Located on the south end, the Digestive Health Clinic features five new procedure rooms.

The Center for Advanced Care’s expanded outpatient surgery facilities, housed on the third floor over 38,000 square feet, have added six operating rooms and 18 prep and recovery rooms. Other amenities at the facility include a health resource library, conference facilities and a café.

The addition creates an integrated platform where patients and physicians can more easily access care resources, including a multi-disciplinary condominium clinic with flexible, universal exam and consult spaces.

“One of the goals of the project was to demystify the patient experience by creating a physical space that is warm, open and inviting,” said Tim Tracey, principal-in-charge at SmithGroupJJR’s Chicago office, in a statement. “The design of the new center represents the quality of care that patients receive at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center.”

Signature design elements for the Center for Advanced Care include a sweeping, curved glass façade on the south side with an integral passive sunshade system. Public corridors are outfitted with open seating and waiting areas, creating a way-finding system that connects the new building with the main hospital. At street level, a three-story glass atrium lobby and reception area help to set off the facility’s main entrance.

Sustainable design features include a living wall that will bloom year-round as part of a community garden, located in a 21,000-square-foot park that runs along the back of the building. The park provides pathways and outdoor benches for patients and visitors. Also sustainably designed is the building’s roof. The facility is targeting LEED-NC Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

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