Ascension Illinois adding 14 primary care clinicians in the Northwest suburbs

Ascension Illinois is aiming to do its part to help the state meet a projected need for more than 1,000 additional primary care physicians by 2030.

By the end of the year, Ascension expects to add 14 primary care clinicians at its Northwest suburban locations in Barrington, Bartlett, Elgin, Elk Grove Village, Hoffman Estates, Palatine and Schaumburg.

Primary care clinicians include physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants, and are usually patients’ first point of contact with the health care system, Ascension officials said.

“We are incredibly attuned to our communities’ needs for additional primary care access,” Dr. Reinhold Llerena, chief medical officer for Ascension Medical Group Illinois, said in a statement. “We at Ascension Illinois recognize that we play a vital role in fulfilling those needs for a number of people across suburban Cook County and we plan on stepping up to the plate in expanding primary care access.”

Officials said the expansion addresses a shortage statewide.

The American Academy of Family Physicians has identified the need for 1,063 additional physicians to maintain Illinois’ service rates of 16 years ago, Ascension officials said.

Meanwhile, more than 4 million of the state’s residents live in “health professional shortage areas” for primary care, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Bureau of Health Workforce Health Resources and Services Administration.

Ascension Medical Group Illinois’ primary care and family medicine teams provide primary care and treatment of unexpected minor illnesses and injuries, company officials said.

“Having been a clinician for many years now, I have seen how establishing first contact with a doctor through primary care, family medicine and internal medicine is often a patient’s largest hurdle in receiving preventative care,” internal medicine physician Ana Gephart said in a statement. “Part of the appeal in joining Ascension Illinois is because they have made clear they recognize the importance of this work.”

Ascension Illinois is a faith-based healthcare organization operating five hospitals — including Alexian Brothers in Elk Grove Village and Saint Alexius in Hoffman Estates — and more than 80 care sites in the Chicago area. It includes 300 providers in the Ascension Medical Group and more than 5,000 associates.

epeterson@dailyherald.com