Northwest Community Healthcare officially became part of NorthShore University HealthSystem on January 1, 2021, after receiving federal and state regulatory approvals. The transaction adds a sixth hospital to the NorthShore system, as well as a significant suburban outpatient presence, and further expands its reach as a regional, community-connected healthcare system for the Chicago area.
“Our shared approach is built around community-connected care which means developing a strong and unified presence to meet the unique needs of patients through personal and specialized care,” said NorthShore President and CEO J.P. Gallagher. “Northwest Community and NorthShore share a culture that combines clinical excellence with compassionate relationships between our care team members and the patients we serve, which is critical now more than ever given the extraordinary times in which we are living.”
Patients will benefit from the organizations’ exemplary physician networks, totaling more than 4,250 doctors across immediate, primary, specialty and complex care. The organizations intend to harness each other’s unique strengths and capabilities to provide patients with localized care decisions and access to exceptional care and services, close to home. Among them, NCH patients will benefit from NorthShore’s clinical trials as well as advanced predictive analytic technology which integrates genomics into everyday care to identify and reduce patient risk and optimize health and outcomes.
“We are very excited to join NorthShore and expand the availability of services within our communities. Being closely connected to our patients has always been a differentiator for NCH and now through this partnership, community-based care takes on an even greater dimension,” said NCH President and CEO Steve Scogna. “We will build upon our strong physician relationships and Magnet-recognized nursing team with NorthShore’s research and medical education programs to ensure our communities have access to the very best clinical care available.”
The institutions will make their respective clinical centers of excellence available to a broader patient base, including NCH’s Center for Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopy and the Illinois Center for Pancreatic and Hepatobiliary Diseases as well as NorthShore’s Orthopaedic & Spine Institute—the first hospital in Illinois dedicated to ortho and spine care, among many others.
Investments in enhancing community-based prevention and wellness services also are key components of the shared approach—from domestic violence prevention and free dental care for those in need, to behavioral and mental health care and substance abuse programs and primary care services for the underserved. Last year, the organizations contributed a combined $294 million to community benefit initiatives. They also provided more than 200 community initiatives and programs, reaching over 430,000 individuals.