CHICAGO and DEKALB, Ill., Dec. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Northwestern Memorial HealthCare announced today that KishHealth System has become the newest member of Northwestern Medicine (NM). With the addition of Kishwaukee Hospital in DeKalb and Valley West Hospital in Sandwich, NM expands to six hospitals, 90 sites of care, and more than 26,500 physicians, nurses, staff, and volunteers across eight Illinois counties.

“We are excited to welcome KishHealth to Northwestern Medicine,” said Dean M. Harrison, President and Chief Executive Officer, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare. “The addition of KishHealth to our growing integrated academic health system will allow patients in DeKalb County and northern Illinois even greater access to high-quality care, closer to where they live and work.”

On November 17, the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board unanimously approved the application for KishHealth to join NM. KishHealth’s decision to pursue an affiliation with NM was due to the changing healthcare landscape along with leadership’s strong desire to find a partner that would best fit the needs of the community and represent the value and culture of excellence that has defined KishHealth.

As a member of NM, KishHealth patients will have a seamless pathway to access advanced specialty care including the growth of clinical areas such as neurology, pulmonology, cardiology and behavioral health services. Additionally, patients will have the opportunity to access clinical trials offered within the system.

“Following a diligent process of research and evaluation, we believe the best partnership for our community and for our patients is Northwestern Medicine,” said Kevin Poorten, President and Chief Executive Officer, KishHealth System. “As a member of Northwestern Medicine, we will be able to address existing clinical gaps and drastically enhance the patient experience, quality of care, and safety for the communities we serve,” said Poorten, who will remain President of KishHealth.

About Northwestern Medicine
To learn more about Northwestern Medicine, please visit: http://news.nm.org/about-northwestern-medicine.html.

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SOURCE Northwestern Medicine