DeKalb Clinic is Now KishHealth System Physician Group

As part of its continual efforts to ensure patients receive the very best in comprehensive, collaborative health care, KishHealth System has added a new member— DeKalb Clinic. As of March 2, the clinic has been renamed under the umbrella of KishHealth System Physician Group.

This venture is truly a “win-win” for patients. Those currently with the health system will now have access to an expanded network of physicians as well as more service lines. Patients of the former DeKalb Clinic will benefit from the everexpanding resources of the health system.

“KishHealth System offers a diverse team to help primary care doctors manage their patients’ health, and we’re creating new positions everyday,” said Joe Dant, Vice President of Business Development for the health system. “If an individual is dealing with a chronic illness like diabetes and could benefit from nutritional counseling or health coaching, for example, the doctor can now easily set that up.”

“All involved with this venture are very excited because it means greater alignment between the physicians and the health system, which only benefits the patient,” said Dr. Michael Kulisz, Chief Medical Officer of KishHealth System. “We are all working toward the same goal—supporting patients at every stage of their health care.”

Patients of the former DeKalb Clinic will find improved communication between all of their providers as data is merged together and the registration process becomes more streamlined. Medical records will be more closely linked between the clinic and the health system, which will effectively eliminate gaps in care.

Dant says this improved efficiency is reflective of KishHealth System’s desire to be an advocate for its more than 110,000 patients in an evolving healthcare landscape.

“The industry’s vision of healthcare in the community is in the process of changing,” said Dant. “For more than 100 years, it was almost exclusively about sick care. Now the emphasis is on the entire continuum of care and hospitals playing an active role in overall health and wellness. The way to achieve that is through closer collaboration with members of our medical staff.”

DeKalb Clinic physicians have long held admitting privileges at Kishwaukee Hospital and have worked closely with KishHealth System staff for years, so Dant says it made perfect sense to officially make them part of KishHealth System Physician Group. The merger will also enable the doctors to focus more on patient care rather than administrative concerns that are becoming burdensome for independent physician groups.

“Reimbursements are going down while costs are rising, which puts pressure on physician groups,” Dant explained. “As part of the health system, these doctors have a broader administrative network to support them in costly and time consuming tasks like IT so they can do what they do best— provide excellent patient care.”

Dr. Roger Haab, Chair of the DeKalb Clinic Board of Directors, says all the doctors who will be making the transition to KishHealth System Physician Group are looking forward to building on the clinic’s long history of excellence.

“We see this venture as an opportunity to further our commitment to excellence in innovation and education, and to continue to provide our patients with state-of-the-art healthcare in our community setting,” said Haab. “We look forward to becoming a vital part of a growing premiere healthcare system.”

All but a few of the physicians from the former DeKalb Clinic will be making the move to KishHealth System Physician Group. The DeKalb Clinic’s partnership with Rockford Cardiovascular Associates will continue, with those doctors maintaining their presence locally as independent physicians contracting with the health system.

“The addition of so many different specialties, several of which KishHealth System did not have before, offers the patient variety and choice,” said Kulisz.

“This merger offers patients of both the health system and the clinic improved access, better communication, and more comprehensive care,” said Dant. “It’s one more step in our commitment to being the cornerstone of health for this community.”

To learn more about DeKalb Clinic becoming part of KishHealth System Physician Group, visit www.kpgcares.org or call (815) 758-8671.