Furthering Northwestern Medicine’s commitment to support communities and improve health outcomes, is a 252,000 sf, five-floor outpatient care center in the Bronzeville neighborhood. Serving more than 50,000 patients from the nearby community each year, the facility features an immediate care center, primary and specialty care, imaging center, pharmacy and diagnostic services, cancer center, behavioral health services, and community health services. The center prioritizes areas for the community, including multipurpose spaces, event spaces, a demonstration and teaching kitchen, and a room for fitness classes. Mental health services are available at the facility.
Commitment to Community Change
“We know that improving health and addressing violence starts with engaging our communities,” U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said. “Northwestern Medicine is doing exactly that with their new site in Bronzeville. As one of the 10 hospitals in the Chicago HEAL Initiative, Northwestern has invested in growing the local health care workforce through career pathway programs like the NM Scholars Program at Westinghouse College Prep. Today’s announcement deepens NM’s commitment under the HEAL Initiative to support our communities and improve health outcomes.”
Launched in 2018 by Senator Richard Durbin, Chicago HEAL (Hospital Engagement, Action and Leadership) is a collaborative effort among Chicago’s 10 largest hospitals, including Northwestern Memorial Hospital, to share best practices to address social risk factors and advance health equity in 18 of Chicago’s neighborhoods with the highest rates of violence, poverty, and inequality.
The HEAL initiative focuses on three pillars: Increasing local workforce commitment to reduce economic hardship; Supporting community partnerships to improve the health and safety of public environments; Prioritizing key in-hospital clinical practices to address unmet needs.
