New Northwestern Medicine location provides patients local access to highest level of thoracic surgery care

Patients in Chicago's Northwest suburbs now have local access to the surgery team that performs state-of-the-art minimally invasive and robotic chest surgery, treatment for cancers of lung and esophagus, and lung transplantation at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Dr. Ankit Bharat, who performed the United States' first double lung transplant on a patient with COVID-19, began to see patients in McHenry on Oct. 20.

The new office location at Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital will be open to patients who have diseases of the chest, including the airways, lungs, esophagus, diaphragm and chest wall. Bharat and his surgical partners will receive referrals from medical oncologists, pulmonologists and other physicians who care for patients in the McHenry County area.

“Our goal is to provide unparalleled care of the highest quality to our patients, close to home,” Bharat said. “We are committed to providing the entire gamut of treatments for both simple and complex problems in the chest.”

“Our patients can have appointments and follow-up care in McHenry, and if they need specialized surgeries we perform them in Chicago. This approach provides patients the best of both worlds — convenience for appointments and access to highly advanced surgeries when they're needed.”

Nick Rave, president of Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital, said patients will benefit from the relationships between the physicians and hospital teams.

“Our patients want the peace of mind that they're doing all they can to address their health issues,” Rave said. “By bringing these experienced thoracic surgeons to McHenry, we're making it easier for people who are already balancing family life, work and a health diagnosis.”