Northwest Community Hospital Officially Joins NorthShore

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — In a deal that's been in the works for the last two years, Northwest Community Healthcare officially became part of NorthShore University HealthSystem on Jan. 1. Following federal and state regulatory approvals, the Arlington Heights-based hospital becomes the sixth added to the NorthShore system.

"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 J.P. Gallagher, NorthShore president and CEO, in a statement. "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."

NorthShore, based in Evanston, adds the Arlington Heights location to a roster of hospitals in Evanston, Glenview, Highland Park, Skokie and Chicago. The NorthShore system gives patients increased access to physicians with more than 200 locations across Chicagoland, according to a release. NorthShore employs 10,500 people.

NorthShore To Acquire Northwest Community Healthcare

Founded in 1959, Northwest Community has 4,000 employees and 1,200 physicians on staff at more than 40 northwest suburban locations. Throughout the northwest suburbs, NCH has 23 doctor’s offices; five immediate care centers; seven physical rehabilitation sites; and 13 lab locations.

"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 Steve Scogna, who will remain NCH CEO following the merger, in the release. "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."

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, according to the release.

The institutions will make their respective clinical centers 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, according to the release. They also provided more than 200 community initiatives and programs, reaching over 430,000 individuals.

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