Many patients who come to RUSH for MRI-guided Focused Ultrasound travel from outside the immediate Chicago area, including from neighboring states and from across the country. One of the unique advantages of the focused ultrasound program is that treatment is performed at RUSH Oak Brook, a smaller and more easily accessible facility located approximately 20 miles west of downtown Chicago. For many patients and families, this creates a significantly more streamlined and less stressful experience compared with navigating the center of a large city.
Because the facility is located outside downtown Chicago, patients generally avoid much of the traffic congestion associated with traveling into the city itself. Whether arriving from O’Hare International Airport, Midway Airport, or driving from surrounding Midwest states, the Oak Brook location is often easier and more predictable logistically than traveling through downtown Chicago traffic. In practical terms, this means less time spent navigating the city and more focus placed on the treatment itself.
Getting to RUSH Oak Brook
RUSH Oak Brook is conveniently located near several major expressways, making it accessible whether arriving by car, rideshare service, or airport transportation. Both O’Hare and Midway airports are reasonable options, and while travel times depend on traffic, many patients find the Oak Brook location more comfortable and less overwhelming than traveling directly into downtown Chicago.
As with any major metropolitan area, traffic patterns can vary considerably depending on time of day. Chicago traffic has a reputation for a reason, although avoiding the downtown core generally makes the experience much more manageable. Uber and Lyft are often the easiest transportation options for patients traveling from the airport, especially for those unfamiliar with local roads or expressways.
For patients driving themselves, the process is straightforward. One major advantage of the Oak Brook location is that parking is readily available and free, eliminating one of the more stressful aspects of many downtown medical visits.
The Treatment Center Experience
Focused ultrasound treatment takes place within the MRI suite at RUSH Oak Brook, located directly on the main floor lobby level of the facility. Unlike large downtown hospitals that can sometimes feel overwhelming or difficult to navigate, the Oak Brook center is intentionally smaller, calmer, and easier to access.
Patients often notice immediately that the experience feels more personal and less hectic. On the morning of focused ultrasound treatment, the center is essentially dedicated to the procedure itself. The treatment team—including nursing staff, MRI personnel, neurosurgery specialists, neurologists, and support staff—is there specifically for focused ultrasound patients that day. This creates a highly coordinated and focused environment where the entire team is centered around the treatment process from start to finish.
The smaller footprint of the facility also simplifies logistics for family members. Check-in, waiting areas, MRI access, and recovery spaces are all located in close proximity, reducing the need for excessive walking or navigating large hospital complexes.
Where to Stay
Most patients traveling for focused ultrasound stay either directly near the treatment center or in the surrounding Oak Brook area.
One of the most commonly used options is The Drake Oak Brook, located essentially across the street from the medical center. The Drake offers a quieter, more traditional hotel environment and is particularly convenient for patients wanting minimal travel stress on the morning of treatment.
Another nearby option is the Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center, located just behind and near the RUSH Oak Brook campus area. This hotel offers a more resort-style setting with additional amenities and green space while still remaining very close to the treatment center.
The broader Oak Brook area also contains numerous additional hotel options ranging from practical business hotels to more upscale accommodations, all within a short drive of the center.
Restaurants and the Oak Brook Area
One of the advantages of the Oak Brook location is that patients and families have access to a large number of nearby restaurants and shopping areas without needing to travel into downtown Chicago.
The nearby Oakbrook Center shopping district is one of the major retail and dining destinations in the western suburbs and contains a wide range of restaurants that are convenient, accessible, and well-reviewed. Common patient and family favorites include:
- Maggiano’s Little Italy
- Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse
- Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille
- RH Rooftop Restaurant
- Antico Posto
- Piccolo Buco
- Wildfire
These range from casual dining to more upscale options, giving patients and families flexibility depending on how they are feeling before or after treatment.
For many patients, the Oak Brook environment strikes a comfortable balance: accessible and relaxed without feeling isolated, while still providing excellent food, shopping, and hotel options nearby.
Visiting Chicago
Although focused ultrasound treatment occurs outside downtown Chicago, the city itself remains easily accessible for patients or families planning to extend their stay. Downtown Chicago—with its lakefront, museums, architecture, shopping, and restaurants—is approximately a 30–45 minute drive depending on traffic.
Patients who choose to spend additional time in the city often enjoy:
- Chicago’s lakefront and riverwalk
- Architectural river tours
- The Art Institute of Chicago
- The Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium
-
Chicago’s well-known restaurant scene
-
Classic Chicago foods such as deep-dish pizza and neighborhood staples
That said, many patients appreciate that the actual treatment experience itself occurs outside the intensity and congestion of downtown.
A Different Kind of Treatment Experience
One of the themes patients often mention afterward is how unexpectedly calm and organized the focused ultrasound experience feels. The Oak Brook setting contributes significantly to that experience. The smaller facility, straightforward parking, reduced traffic burden, coordinated treatment environment, and focused team structure all help create a process that feels more manageable during what can otherwise be an understandably stressful time.
Ultimately, the goal is to remove as much unnecessary complexity from the experience as possible, allowing patients and families to focus less on logistics and more on treatment, recovery, and outcomes.