Northwestern Medicine launches new primary care program in Naperville

NAPERVILLE - Northwestern Medicine is launching a new model for primary care aimed at supporting those with chronic illness and patients 65 and older. The Northwestern Medicine Innovative Primary Care Clinic, 636 Raymond Drive in Naperville, offers highly individualized care using a team-based approach, Northwestern Medicine said.

"Our goal is to spend more time with this patient population to dig a little deeper into their health care history and understand not only their health concerns but their goals for a better quality of life," said Dr. Aman Dhawan, family medicine physician and medical director of the Innovative Primary Care Clinic. "Managing health care more closely in an outpatient setting has been shown to reduce emergency room visits and hospitalization."

This unique clinic is the first within Northwestern Medicine's system, it said. It's health coaches are trained in motivational interviewing to help people seniors identify challenges and empower them to adopt and sustain healthy lifestyle behaviors.

"It is important for the health coach to be present as they will become the advocate and access point for the patient," Dhawan said.