Introduction
Vivent Health, a leading HIV care provider, and Test Positive Aware Network (TPAN) have announced a significant collaboration with Northwestern Medicine to deliver comprehensive HIV care and other essential medical services to Chicagoans. This partnership will establish a new health center in the Edgewater neighborhood on Chicago’s North Side, set to open in the fall.
Expanding Access to HIV Care
Vivent Health currently serves approximately 17,000 people across six states. In March 2023, the organization merged with Chicago-based TPAN, further expanding its reach and resources. The new health center aims to address the pressing needs of people living with HIV in Illinois, particularly in Chicago and Cook County.
Addressing Disparities in HIV Care
According to Getting to Zero Illinois (GTZ), around 37,300 people in Illinois are living with HIV and AIDS, with approximately 19,000 residing in Chicago and Cook County. Many individuals, especially those facing socioeconomic barriers and structural challenges, are not engaged in care. African Americans, who make up about 27% of Chicago’s population, account for 55% of new HIV infections, highlighting significant racial disparities.
Comprehensive Services in One Location
To combat these disparities and improve care for those living with HIV, the new health center will offer a wide range of services. These include primary care, HIV care, prevention, behavioral and mental health services, social services, and more. Dr. Jo Ann Jose, an infectious disease specialist at Northwestern, emphasized the benefits of this integrated model: “Patients receive medical care in an integrated model with comprehensive services, such as a food pantry, housing assistance, case management, and a pharmacy, that are immediately accessible in a community setting.”
A Model for Improved Care Engagement
Vivent Health has consistently expanded its services, recently merging with UNIFIED, a Detroit-based HIV services provider. The organization’s new CEO, Brandon Hill, Ph.D., brings extensive experience in sexual and LGBT health care services. Hill stated, “Because our integrated approach addresses coexisting inequities and systemic barriers to care and increases adherence support, we believe our model is complementary to Chicago’s HIV care community and will be an effective addition to improving care engagement among underserved and often hard-to-reach populations.”
Looking Ahead
The opening of the new health center in the fall will provide Chicago residents with access to specialized care, advanced diagnostics, clinical trials, and other services offered by Northwestern University. This collaboration between Vivent Health, TPAN, and Northwestern Medicine represents a significant step forward in addressing the HIV epidemic and improving health outcomes for those living with HIV in Chicago.
For more information on Vivent Health and its services, visit Vivent Health. There you’ll find headlines like “Vivent Health expands HIV medical center in Milwaukee,” “Vivent Health opens new HIV care facility in Kansas City, Missouri,” and “Vivent Health food pantries help keep HIV patients undetectablle.
