KishHealth System Explores Affiliation with Northwestern Memorial HealthCare

DeKalb-based health system would become newest member of Northwestern Medicine

KishHealth System has signed a Letter of Intent to explore an affiliation with Northwestern Memorial HealthCare (NMHC). During the next several months, KishHealth System and NMHC will further define the affiliation, which remains subject to regulatory review and approval.

“KishHealth System is recognized for their commitment to high quality care and clinical excellence,” said Dean M. Harrison, President and Chief Executive Officer, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare. “Together with the physicians and staff of KishHealth, we look forward to the opportunity to provide patients in DeKalb County and northern Illinois more convenient access to enhanced clinical innovation and breakthrough research as part of our integrated academic health system.”

The potential affiliation would provide a powerful synergy of a community-based provider and academic health system. “Our Board of Directors employed a thoughtful process that led them to conclude that Northwestern Memorial HealthCare would best enable KishHealth System to build upon its already high standard of care,” said Kevin Poorten, President and Chief Executive Officer of KishHealth System. “The proposed alignment positions us to serve the future needs of our patients and community.”

About KishHealth System
KishHealth System provides services to the communities in the greater DeKalb County-area in northern Illinois. The health system is comprised of two non-profit community hospitals and several other non-profit healthcare entities including Kishwaukee Hospital in DeKalb; Valley West Hospital in Sandwich; Cancer Center locations in Aurora, DeKalb, Rochelle, and Sandwich; Hospice; the Center for Family Health, Malta; Foundation; Behavioral Health Services in Sandwich and Sycamore; Diabetes Education Centers in DeKalb and Sandwich; Emergency Medical Services; Home Care; Laboratories in Sycamore and Rochelle; Physical Therapy Centers in Genoa, Hampshire, Sandwich, and Sycamore; and KishHealth System Physician Group with locations in Aurora, DeKalb, Genoa, Plano, Rochelle, Sandwich, Sycamore, and Waterman. The vision of KishHealth System is to be the best place for employees to work, the best place for physicians to practice, and most of all, the best place for patients to receive care.

About Northwestern Memorial HealthCare
Northwestern Memorial HealthCare (NMHC) is an academic health system whose entities operate as Northwestern Medicine®. NMHC consists of over 60 sites throughout Chicago, including four hospitals; Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital in Lake Forest, Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital in Geneva and its flagship Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, which is rated No. 1 in Chicago and Illinois, as well as 10th in the nation according to the U.S. News & World Report 2014-2015 Honor Roll of America’s Best Hospitals; and more than 4,000 aligned physicians.

About Northwestern Medicine®
Northwestern Medicine® is the collaboration between Northwestern Memorial HealthCare and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine around a strategic vision to transform the future of healthcare. It encompasses the research, teaching, and patient care activities of the academic medical center. Sharing a commitment to superior quality, academic excellence and patient safety, the organizations within Northwestern Medicine comprise a combined workforce of more than 25,000 among clinical and administrative staff, medical and science faculty and medical students. The entities involved in Northwestern Medicine remain separate organizations. Northwestern Medicine is a trademark of Northwestern Memorial HealthCare and is also used by Northwestern University.