The Grainger Foundation Commits $5 Million for Surgical Innovation and Simulation

The Grainger Foundation has committed $5M to NorthShore University HealthSystem (NorthShore) to support research and professional training in leading-edge surgical techniques. This transformational leadership commitment will provide significant funding to the NorthShore Center for Simulation and Innovation (NCSI), which will be named the Grainger Center for Simulation and Innovation.

“We thank The Grainger Foundation for its extraordinary commitment, which is an ongoing vote of confidence that builds on their previous support,” said Mark S. Talamonti, MD, Chairman of Surgery and the Stanton and Margaret Rogers Palmer Chair of Surgery. “The Grainger Center for Simulation and Innovation will build on the many successes to date, becoming the preeminent destination for those in healthcare seeking to improve their surgical skills using state-of-the-art technology and research that will improve patients’ lives.”

Led by Co-directors Michael Ujiki, MD, and Ernest Wang, MD, the Grainger Center for Simulation and Innovation offers physicians and surgeons courses in medical and surgical disciplines, led by senior fellow practitioners and backed by the latest research and technological innovations. These courses form an integral part of NorthShore’s surgical residency program with the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, especially since the American College of Surgeons has recently made the study of surgical simulation a mandatory track in surgical residencies nationwide. NorthShore surgeons will also partner in the development and testing of new surgical instruments and simulators with industry providers, engineering faculty and senior surgeons around the region.

The Foundation’s commitment will also support NorthShore surgeons in developing new applications of minimally invasive surgery (MIS). MIS allows surgery to be performed either through very small incisions or, most recently, entirely internally via natural body orifices. Surgeon researchers will seek to apply MIS to new complex surgical sites like the heart or brain where currently relatively risky open incisions are still often the norm. Thanks to the simulation laboratory’s extensive array of simulators, surgeons are able to acquire the increased dexterity and skills necessary to develop and rehearse complex new operations before they are used in the operating room. NorthShore’s surgical simulation programs are led by nationally recognized surgeons specializing in MIS, such as Dr. Michael Ujiki; Sangtae Park, MD, MPH; Jin-cheng Zhao, MD, MS; Joseph Muldoon, MD, FACS; and Yuan Ji, PhD.

Over the next five years, surgical leadership will use this funding to support and expand its team of education specialists, physicians and researchers that will have the Grainger Center for Simulation and Innovation be a world-class destination for surgical simulation and training. In turn, patients will receive the benefits of new surgical tools and simulators and less invasive surgical techniques, quicker post-operative recoveries, and faster returns to daily life and less long-term effects on quality of life. Surgical simulation also enables newly-trained, and experienced surgeons, to safely become experts in new techniques and technologies.

For more information about the Grainger Center for Simulation and Innovation or ways to support NorthShore, please call (224) 364-7208 or visit foundation.northshore.org.

About The Grainger Foundation

The Grainger Foundation, an independent, private foundation based in Lake Forest, Illinois, was established in 1949 by William W. Grainger, founder of W.W. Grainger, Inc.

About NorthShore University HealthSystem

Headquartered in Evanston, Illinois, NorthShore University HealthSystem (NorthShore) is a comprehensive, fully integrated, healthcare delivery system that serves the Chicago region. The system includes four hospitals in Evanston, Glenview, Highland Park and Skokie. NorthShore employs approximately 10,000 and has 2,400 affiliated physicians, including an 850+ physician, multispecialty group practice with over 100 office locations. Further, NorthShore supports teaching and research as the principal teaching affiliate for the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine.

The NorthShore Research Institute focuses on clinical and translational research, including leadership in clinical trials and medical informatics. The NorthShore University HealthSystem Foundation is the organization’s primary philanthropic entity. The Foundation raises charitable contributions and engages volunteer friends in support of NorthShore’s ongoing mission to preserve and improve human life.

NorthShore has significant capabilities in a wide spectrum of clinical programs, including Kellogg Cancer Center, NorthShore Neurological Institute, NorthShore Orthopaedic Institute, cardiovascular care, high-risk maternity and pediatrics. NorthShore is a Magnet recognized organization, the first in Illinois designated as a system to receive this prestigious honor that demonstrates excellence in nursing. NorthShore is a national leader in the implementation of innovative technologies, including electronic medical records (EMR). In 2003, NorthShore was among the first in the country to successfully launch a system-wide EMR with demonstrable benefits in quality, safety, efficiency and service to patients. NorthShore has been recognized by multiple national organizations for this notable achievement.