Northwestern To Consolidate Obstetrics Care In McHenry County

MCHENRY COUNTY, IL — Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital plans to move its obsterics and newborn services to Northwestern's Huntley hospital.

The move will centralize all obstetrics care in one place. The transition will take effect at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, according to a news release from Northwestern Medicine.

"By providing these services in a single location, Northwestern Medicine will be able to grow and enhance the high-quality obstetrics care currently provided, including the recently added maternal fetal medicine specialists in Huntley who are available to perform routine ultrasounds and treat patients who may have high-risk pregnancies," according to the news release.

All outpatient women’s and children’s services, including offices in obstetrics, gynecology and pediatrics, will remain in communities throughout McHenry County and northern Kane County. In addition, Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital will continue to offer gynecologic surgery.

“Centralizing our inpatient women’s and children services in McHenry County will allow us to offer a comprehensive obstetric and neonatal center in one location,” said Thomas McAfee, senior vice president of Northwestern Memorial HealthCare. “With an established affiliation with Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago for 24/7 in-house neonatal and pediatric coverage, we are heightening the level of care we provide to newborns, children and parents, closer to home.”

Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital will maintain Level II trauma status, with an obstetrics and gynecology physician on call. Outpatient offices for obstetrics, gynecology and pediatrics services will remain in their current locations throughout McHenry County and northern Kane County.

The decision to align obstetrics care in Huntley will enable Northwestern Medicine to bring higher-level services to address the community’s overall healthcare needs.

The rapid growth in McHenry County has resulted in a significant increase of cardiovascular and neurosurgery patient needs, so shifting the obstetrics and maternity services to Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital allows for new specialties and service lines at Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital, hospital officials said.

At Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital, in addition to the recruitment of new specialty physicians, three newly renovated patient care units recently opened, and modernizing projects for additional units are underway.