The Northwestern Medicine Grayslake Freestanding Emergency Department improved patient “Likelihood to Recommend” performance through a multidisciplinary approach focused on

Northwestern Medicine Grayslake Freestanding Emergency Department

communication, wait-time management, service recovery and patient-centered care. Leaders and front-line staff partnered to review patient feedback, implement targeted improvements, recognize excellence and strengthen accountability for patient experience behaviors. Through ongoing monitoring of patient comments and operational metrics, the team created a culture of responsiveness and continuous improvement which resulted in sustained gains in patient satisfaction, consistently exceeding organizational LTR goals and maintaining high-quality emergency care.

The 14-bed freestanding ED, which saw about 29,000 patient visits in 2025, also improved door-to-EKG times for patients presenting with potential cardiac symptoms through a multidisciplinary performance improvement initiative. Nurses partnered with providers, registration staff and technicians to streamline workflows, reduce delays and prioritize rapid identification of high-risk patients. Process changes included standardized triage practices, enhanced staff education and ongoing performance monitoring. The initiative improved compliance with evidence-based cardiac care standards, accelerated diagnosis and treatment and strengthened the team’s commitment to delivering timely, high-quality emergency care.