Health care is more than a service — it’s a calling to stand with others in their most vulnerable moments.
Grounded in compassion and guided by a deep sense of purpose, it offers healing hands and listening hearts. Inspired by Christ’s example, it seeks to meet those who are sick and weary with boundless love and dignity.
But true care goes beyond treatment — it involves building relationships, fostering trust and creating a supportive environment where people can truly thrive. When health care is shaped by the voices of the community, informed by local leadership and committed to continuous improvement, it not only helps heal individuals but also strengthens the fabric of the community itself.
Each year, we conduct a comprehensive community needs assessment to better understand the challenges facing our communities and the disparities that demand action. This process helps us identify gaps in care, elevate underrepresented voices and take meaningful steps toward advancing health equity.
Our partnership with The University of Chicago Medicine gives us a unique opportunity to redefine health care access in the Chicago suburbs. This isn’t just about expanding services; it’s about removing the barriers to world-class care. By bringing academic-level medicine closer to home, we ensure patients no longer need to travel into the city to see top-tier specialists.
In the following pages, you’ll learn more about our efforts to support health equity through initiatives focused on diabetes care, as well as drug and alcohol abuse prevention and education. This is just one way we ensure the needs of the community drive our focus and shape the way we deliver care — such as through our free medical clinics held twice a year for the uninsured or underinsured.
At our most recent clinic, a paraplegic man with a complex medical history came to receive care. He had lost his job and health insurance and was struggling to make ends meet. Our volunteers and community partners worked tirelessly to ensure he received the care he needed. They arranged for him to receive health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, including a subsidy to help defray his monthly premiums. He received free medications from the Dispensary of Hope and was connected with the Family in Faith Food Pantry, which provided a program where he could order food in advance and have it delivered to his car.
This story is just one example of how our local Mission Clinics embody our mission to extend care to all people, regardless of their ability to pay. The clinic not only addressed immediate health care needs but also connected patients with resources for ongoing care — demonstrating a profound commitment to healing and community support.
As Christ responded to the suffering with grace, we are called to do the same — bringing comfort and dignity to those in need. Through every diagnosis, treatment and compassionate word, we reflect His care, offering hope, strength and healing where it’s needed most.
Monica Reed, M.D., is president and CEO of UChicago Medicine AdventHealth in the Great Lakes Region.
