NorthShore Health Centers will expand to four new communities this year.
Its new Gary facility opened in March, with plans for other centers opening in Crown Point on May 1, and Michigan City and East Chicago on June 28.
“By expanding our presence into these four markets, we will be able to bring our expertise and personalized care closer to individuals and families in these communities, eliminating the need for them to travel far for care or even have to opt out of care because they don’t have transportation,” said David Hall, chief executive officer of NorthShore Health Centers.
Hall said the expansions are part of the system's mission to provide health care that is available and affordable to those who need it. He also said the four markets were chosen because of hospital closings and an identifiable need.
The new facilities will include family services, pediatricians, obstetrics, dental, endocrinology, mental health and pharmacy services. The Gary, Crown Point and Michigan City locations will also include chiropractic, optical and podiatry services.
“This is a very unique provider environment in that medical staff will have access to one another in the same facility on a daily basis, streamlining communication between teams in real time,” said Rachel Sanchez, chief operating officer for the NorthShore nonprofit. “If a patient has an urgent need that morning, for example, we’ll find a way to help them immediately.”
Sanchez said feedback from patients was considered when determining the final designs for the facilities.
“As we continue to expand into these markets, we want our patients to be truly at home in their surroundings from one facility to the next,” Hall said. “We want them to know when they walk in the door, they will receive consistent, exceptional care no matter where they are seeking treatment.”
NorthShore has 20 locations in Porter, Lake, La Porte and Jasper counties.
Caption: NorthShore Health Centers opened a new Gary facility in March. (Rendering provided by NorthShore Health Centers)
