Rush University ER Bypasses Ambulances, Cancels Surgeries After Cooling Failure

Rush University Medical Center in Chicago experienced a temporary air conditioning outage due to a chilled water line failure in its Tower building, causing the hospital's emergency room to go on full bypass and leading to the cancellation of many surgeries. Although the water line was repaired promptly, the cooling system needs time to fully recharge, with temperatures inside the building expected to remain uncomfortable until later in the afternoon. Hospital officials have taken measures to protect patients and staff amid rising indoor temperatures, especially as the Chicago area is under a heat advisory with heat indices expected to exceed 100 degrees. The hospital has communicated directly with affected patients to reschedule procedures and emphasized ongoing efforts to maintain safety during the heat. This incident highlights challenges faced by Chicago hospitals in coping with extreme heat, following a similar prolonged air conditioning failure at Weiss Memorial earlier this summer. The situation remains under observation as the cooling system recovers and normal operations are gradually restored.