Chicagoland Children’s Health Alliance Expands

3/17/2021 – The Chicagoland Children’s Health Alliance (CCHA) is expanding. Beginning in April, two additional pediatric service lines will be integrated across our partner organizations, Advocate Children’s Hospital, Pediatrics at NorthShore University HealthSystem and University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital.

The service lines, neurosciences (neurology, neurosurgery) and gastroenterology, will be fully integrated, both clinically and financially. The comprehensive network of services formed will provide Chicagoland children and families more seamless access to the most complex levels of care in each specialty.

“These service lines will be integrated in the same way we have already integrated heart, cancer and general surgery,” says Dr. John Cunningham, co-chief medical officer, CCHA (UChicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital). “Our experience over the past year with the initial service lines has been exceptional. We are eager to replicate those same patient benefits in neurosciences and GI.”

In neurology, CCHA will integrate all care for children across our geographies, including treatment for epilepsy, concussion, headaches, spinal muscular atrophy, neurofibromatosis and tuberous sclerosis. The same will apply to neurosurgical care and will include conditions such as brain tumors, trauma, neuro-oncology, spinal deformities and craniofacial cases. In gastroenterology, CCHA will be providing comprehensive care and conditions that will include inflammatory bowel disease, liver disease and transplant, as well as eosinophilic esophagitis and celiac disease.

“Our goal is to grow, create premier centers of excellence where the finest clinicians have state-of-the-art tools to innovate, collaborate on best practices and pursue advanced research in the name of exceptional patient outcomes,” says Dr. Michael Caplan, co-chief medical officer, CCHA (NorthShore University HealthSystem).

“Besides significantly raising the bar on quality, safety and patient outcomes, integration will improve the patient experience,” says Dr. Frank Belmonte, co-chief medical officer, CCHA (Advocate Children’s Hospital). “We need to help children and families effectively manage routine, chronic and complex conditions in the most appropriate, comfortable and accessible environment.”

Integration efforts are set to begin next month.