Chicago-based Northwestern Medicine has received an anonymous philanthropic gift, among the largest in the health system’s history, to launch the Robert Havey, MD, Institute for Primary Care, according to a July 20 news release shared with Becker’s
The gift, for an undisclosed amount, will fund an institute dedicated to expanding access, developing team-based care models and training the next generation of primary care clinicians, according to the release. Plans also include advancing AI-enabled tools for patient engagement, clinical documentation and care delivery.
“Primary care is the foundation of better health,” Howard Chrisman, MD, president and CEO of Northwestern Memorial HealthCare, said in the release. “The Robert Havey, MD, Institute for Primary Care will enable NM to accelerate strengthening primary care as the front door to Northwestern Medicine while expanding access, supporting our clinicians and enabling more proactive, connected care.”
The institute is named for Robert Havey, MD, a Northwestern Medicine primary care physician, clinical professor of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and vice president of operations for Northwestern Medical Group. Dr. Havey told Becker’s the institute will be fully underway within six months. He said a core goal is addressing the declining number of medical students choosing primary care careers by demonstrating how professionally rewarding the specialty can be. “We also hope that we can become the best place for primary care in the country, and that will attract the best and brightest candidates who want to be part of this development,” Dr. Havey said.
Northwestern Medicine operates more than 70 primary care locations and more than 200 ambulatory and diagnostic sites across an 11-hospital system with more than 5,400 affiliated physicians.
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