Northwestern Medicine to align obstetric services at hospital in Huntley

Decision paves way for enhanced care, creates opportunities for specialty growth in McHenry

HUNTLEY, Ill. – Sept. 1, 2021 – As part of Northwestern Medicine’s plan to provide better care to patients of all ages, the obstetric teams at two of its hospitals will soon combine. By the end of 2021, all obstetric and neonatal services at Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital will transition to Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital, where patients will receive enhanced women’s and children’s inpatient care, pending regulatory approval. Also, a new outpatient maternal-fetal medicine program began in Huntley in July to provide high-risk patients care throughout their pregnancies.

“We are aligning inpatient women’s and children’s services at Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital to provide an elevated program in one location,” said Thomas McAfee, senior vice president, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare. “With an established affiliation with Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago for 24/7 in-house neonatal and pediatric coverage, we are heightening the level of care we provide to newborns, children and parents, close to home.”

All outpatient women’s and children’s services, including offices for obstetrics, gynecology and pediatrics, will remain in communities throughout McHenry County and northern Kane County, ensuring patients will receive care close to where they live and work. In addition, Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital will continue to offer gynecologic surgery.

“A woman’s relationship with her physician is especially important throughout her pregnancy, and we understand the need for nearby medical support and reassurance during that time,” McAfee said. “The labor and delivery experience is another significant part of pregnancy, and we look forward to helping families make memories at our hospital in Huntley.”

McAfee said the decision to align obstetrics care in Huntley will enable Northwestern Medicine to bring higher-level services to address the community’s healthcare needs. In addition to the recruitment of specialty physicians, in early May Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital opened three newly constructed patient care units that cost $6.2 million and announced the modernization of additional units, which will cost more than $6 million.

“We are growing our cardiovascular surgery and neurosurgery programs at Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital to bring more specialty services to our patients,” McAfee said. “Patients and their families will be able to receive a higher level of care without having to leave our community.”