Oak Street Health medical center opens in Berwyn

BERWYN – Berwyn residents and those around the area now have another option for their health care needs with the opening of a new neighborhood medical center in town.

City and business officials gathered Aug. 5 at the Oak Street Health medical center, 7000 W. Cermak Road, to commemorate the opening of the medical group's s fifth neighborhood medical center in the Chicago area. Oak Street Health centers provide neighborhood-based Medicare-eligible residents with options for primary care and dental services.

The center will employ 35 full-time positions and officials said it was committed to hiring local, neighborhood residents to serve the over 2,500 seniors in the area. The organization expects to have more than 150 employees by the end of 2014, and hire another 200 employees in 2015.
 
Mayor Robert Lovero said the the health center will allow Berwyn's seniors to connect locally to high quality, affordable health and wellness services.

"Understanding the ins and outs of the health care system can be difficult," Lovero stated in a news release. "I'm happy to see that Oak Street Health will provide one-on-one counseling tailored to each person's needs."
 
According to Oak Street Health, its business model invests more in primary care to keep its members healthy and out of hospitals. Physician patient panels are about a fourth of the size of most fee-based medical practices, providing increased patient access to doctors, including same-day and next-day appointments for seniors with unexpected health concerns.
 
Berwyn Development Corporation Board President Mal Montoya said he was impressed the facility is designed as a social environment, with features such attractions like big screen televisions, activities like bingo and a computer lab with tutorials for seniors.

Mike Pykosz, Oak Street Health’s chief executive officer, said effective health care goes beyond just the services offered at its clinics, and that more must be done to help members manage their conditions every day.

“The key to our mission is keeping patients healthy, at home and out of hospitals," Pykosz said in a statement. "Our doctors take the time to listen to each patient, understand their individual circumstances, and develop comprehensive care plans for each member. To ensure that our services are as accessible as possible, we have bi-lingual staff that speak English and Spanish."

Oak Street Health opened its first two Chicago clinics in September 2013 at 1541 W. Devon in Edgewater and at 4848 W. Irving Park in Portage Park. By the end of 2014, it will operate five centers in Chicago and one additional suburban facility in Blue Island.
 
More information is available at 312-733-3374 or by visiting www.oakstreethealth.com.