CHICAGO () — When Northwestern Medicine’s Bronzeville Outpatient Center opened its doors one year ago, its medical director described the project as one that could create a lasting, generational shift in health and wellness across the neighborhood.
Located near 48th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue, the Chicago outpatient facility was built specifically around the needs of Bronzeville residents.
It serves a South Side community that has long faced gaps in access to health care. The center offers a cancer center, primary care, immediate care and services across 14 medical specialties.
After hearing directly from people in the community, Northwestern Medicine also added pediatric care to the Bronzeville location. One year in, the response suggests the demand was real.
“In our first year we’ve seen over 80,000 completed appointments there and it has truly just been amazing,” said Dr. Kimbra Bell, the center’s medical director. “The community has really embraced us and we’re so happy to be there. And we know that we’re impacting the health of persons in the community for generations to come.”
Bell said the numbers reflect what health leaders already understood: Bronzeville had a significant need for a comprehensive medical facility close to home.
Before the outpatient center opened, Northwestern Medicine found that many Bronzeville residents were traveling downtown to access the same kinds of medical appointments and specialty services now available in their own neighborhood.
The Bronzeville Outpatient Center sits in Chicago’s 4th Ward, represented by Alderman Lamont Robinson.
“We know that healthcare is extremely important. We also know that depending on your zip code. depends on your life expectancy. And so, having this center in Bronzeville, that is a part of the fabric of the community is extremely important,” she said.
Bell says one of the most used resources at the center has been the immediate care center.
“In addition to that, our diagnostic imaging suite where patients can access mammograms, CT scans, X-rays, MRIs, bone density. And also, primary care where patients come for their acute illnesses or just for their annual wellness exam,” he said.
Alderman Robinson says the long-term impact will be having a healthy community.
The Outpatient Center is also providing jobs for people living nearby.
“On a regular basis, we get job postings and we put it in our newsletter. And that is extremely important because folks are always looking for careers. And being able to have a job in your community is extremely important.”
