(The Center Square) – A national consumer advocacy organization has launched a campaign criticizing Rush University Medical Center, arguing the Chicago-based nonprofit hospital system is spending taxpayer-supported resources on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and other programs it says fall outside the hospital’s core mission.
Consumers’ Research announced the campaign as part of its broader effort examining nonprofit hospital systems across the country. The organization contends nonprofit hospitals benefiting from tax-exempt status and federal funding should focus their resources on patient care rather than initiatives such as DEI programs, climate goals and marketing partnerships.
“We’ve been looking at them because they are increasingly wasting effectively taxpayer dollars, but certainly patient dollars, on far-left woke nonsense like DEI, like net zero boondoggles,” Consumers’ Research Executive Director Will Hild told The Center Square. “Rush is the next in a whole series we’ve been doing on hospitals to help people understand the waste that this is creating.”
Rush University Medical Center did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The campaign alleges Rush spent millions on diversity initiatives and marketing while also receiving significant public support. According to Consumers’ Research, Rush received more than $194 million in federal funding during fiscal year 2025 and benefits from federal grants and its tax-exempt nonprofit status.
Hild argued nonprofit hospitals should devote surplus revenue to expanding patient care, research and medical facilities.
“When you see them wasting money on partnering with a professional sports league, there’s just no defense for that,” Hild said. “Everything’s supposed to go back to patient care and making sure that the communities in which they serve get as much health access as possible.”
Consumers’ Research also criticized Rush’s climate commitments, including goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, saying those efforts divert resources from healthcare services.
Hild said the group is also concerned that DEI hiring practices prioritize characteristics other than qualifications.
“I can’t imagine a context where it’s more important to choose people because they’re the best you could find,” he said. “When you’re choosing people based on criteria other than competence or skills, you’re going to get those other criteria at the cost of competence or skills.”
Supporters of DEI initiatives argue such programs help improve workplace diversity, reduce disparities in healthcare and improve patient outcomes. Hild rejected that argument.
“There’s no evidence for that,” he said, adding that he believes hiring and promotion decisions should be based solely on qualifications.
The organization is calling for increased oversight of nonprofit hospitals by Congress and federal regulators. Hild said lawmakers should examine whether hospitals receiving taxpayer support are complying with the charitable purposes required for their tax-exempt status.
“We’d love to see more oversight from elected officials, both at the state and the federal level,” Hild said. “Ultimately, if these entities can’t course-correct, then I think Congress and the IRS should really examine whether they deserve to maintain their 501(c)(3) status.”
Hild said the campaign’s immediate goal is to raise public awareness, while its long-term objective is to encourage nonprofit hospitals to redirect resources toward patient care, medical research and facility improvements.
