Endeavor Health announced that it plans to expand its pain program to serve more patients and establish additional endowments in support of medical education, research and patient access, made possible by a significant gift from generous anonymous donors.
The $10M philanthropic gift aims to propel Endeavor Health as a leading destination for innovative, impactful and holistic pain care in Chicagoland and nationally. With the funds, Endeavor Health plans to:
- Build new clinical facilities at Endeavor Health Swedish Hospital, extending the excellence of the Integrated Pain Center at Endeavor Health Skokie Hospital, home to the Endeavor Health Orthopaedic & Spine Institute;
- Amplify innovation and research that advances the field;
- Create a new advanced scholars program, amplifying the program’s excellence for training physicians and allied health professionals, addressing a major gap in pain care education;
- Fund a research registry to track and learn from patient outcomes;
- Launch an annual congress that convenes top pain clinicians; and
- Expand patient access and support for the medically uninsured or underinsured.
“We are profoundly grateful for this extraordinary philanthropic investment in Endeavor Health’s integrated pain program,” said J.P. Gallagher, Endeavor Health President and Chief Executive Officer. “The donors’ visionary gift drives our progress toward expanding outstanding, patient-centered care and scientific discovery and will accelerate the training of clinicians to make our differentiated approach available to many more patients.“
According to the National Institutes of Health, chronic pain affects over one in five Americans — more than diabetes, heart disease and cancer combined. Endeavor Health has built its pain program over the years to address this critical health issue.
“This incredible gift will allow Endeavor Health to augment and amplify a new standard of care, focusing on the root causes of pain in a holistic manner with a data-driven, team-based approach,” said David M. Dickerson, MD, Division Chief of Pain Medicine and inaugural chairholder of the first Endowed Chair of Pain Medicine.
“By addressing pain as a systemic, multifaceted issue — not merely a symptom — we can lead a transformation in healthcare that reduces disability and suffering. The need for pain care or pain management spans all medical care, and our highly personalized and multidisciplinary approach centers on each patient and their specific needs.”
The donors made this significant gift to Endeavor Health because they believe in the health system’s vision to become a first-choice destination for pain management and to ensure pain care can be accessible to all patients in the community.
“Endeavor Health’s pain program is unique in how it truly personalizes pain management for each patient,” said the donors.
“We wanted to catalyze the expansion of this program so that Dr. Dickerson and this talented team can reach many more patients whose lives will be improved with tailored and expert treatment.”
These inspirational stories would not be possible without philanthropic support. We are powered by the generosity of donors who directly impact our ability to deliver on our commitment to providing community-connected care for every person, every time.
Masthead photo: David M. Dickerson, MD, Division Chief of Pain Medicine
Photo credit: Jon Hillenbrand
