VIVENT HEALTH/TPAN TO COLLABORATE WITH NORTHWESTERN MEDICINE ON HIV CARE AND PREVENTION IN NEW HEALTH CENTER OPENING FALL 2024

PARTNERSHIP WILL EXPAND ACCESS TO INTEGRATED CARE TO TACKLE CITY’S HIV HEALTH DISPARITIES.

Vivent Health/TPAN, a nationally recognized leader working to end the HIV epidemic, today announced a strategic collaboration with Northwestern Medicine, Chicago’s premier integrated academic health system, to provide HIV and primary medical care services at its new health center opening Fall 2024 in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood on the north side.  This collaboration is aimed at improving health outcomes among individuals living with and affected by HIV in the Chicagoland area by tackling pervasive health disparities in HIV.

Vivent Health/TPAN’s new health center will provide HIV and primary healthcare, behavioral and mental health, pharmacy, social services, and case management, prevention, and food assistance in a single location. This fully integrated model of care aims to help overcome the barriers that often deter individuals from seeking and engaging with care and prevention.

Statistics show that the more than 3,000 Chicagoans living with HIV who are not engaged in care are battling socio-economic barriers and structural challenges and are more likely to identify as Black/African American and be younger (under 30 years old). “While HIV is often associated with individual behavior, HIV exposure and transmission are underpinned by social and structural factors such as food insecurity, housing instability, and lack of employment opportunities,” said Brandon Hill, Ph.D., President & CEO of Vivent Health. “There are great existing models of HIV care in Chicago. Because our integrated approach addresses co-occurring inequities, pervasive barriers to care, and increased adherence support, we believe our model is complementary to the Chicago HIV care community and will be an efficacious addition to improving care engagement among marginalized and often hard-to-reach populations.”

Despite initial progress and the outstanding work of many AIDS services organizations and safety-net healthcare providers, the Chicagoland area has fallen short of achieving Getting to Zero Illinois goals. Of the nearly 19,000 people living with HIV in Chicago and broader Cook County, roughly one-quarter (26%) are not engaged in HIV care and 60% have achieved viral suppression (a slight dip from 2020).  Recent data from the Chicago Public Health Department also shows that racial inequities continue to drive the HIV epidemic. While Blacks/African Americans make up 27% of Chicago’s population, they unfortunately experience 55% of new diagnoses, which is more than double the rate for Latinx residents and five times the rate for white Chicagoans. 

TPAN’s long standing with the HIV care community in Chicago has afforded Vivent Health/TPAN the opportunity to partner with Northwestern Medicine. The collaboration adds a skilled Infectious Disease and HIV specialist to the Vivent Health/TPAN care team to respond to community need and reach people living with and at risk for HIV. It also forges new research partnerships that will advance treatment and prevention interventions.

“This unique opportunity brings together the best of community and academic models for HIV care to deliver the optimal results for patients,” said Jo-Ann Jose, MD, MPH, Infectious Diseases Specialist at Northwestern Medicine, who will be providing care at Vivent Health/TPAN. “Patients receive their medical care in an integrated model with wrap-around services, such as a food pantry, housing assistance and case management, and pharmacy that are immediately accessible in a community setting.”

"Most importantly, this collaboration allows patients to access the best of both worlds. In addition to receiving medical care in the clinic, patients will also have streamlined access to specialty care, advanced diagnostics, clinical research trials, and other services within Northwestern’s system,” added Frank Palella, Jr., MD, Director, Potocsnak Family Center for HIV and Aging, Northwestern Medicine.

Patients will also have the opportunity to be involved in both medical research and medical education efforts, which will play a crucial part in advancing knowledge about HIV and in educating the next generation of HIV clinicians. The perspectives and experiences of patients from community settings is essential to research work that aims to end the epidemic, find a cure, trial new therapeutics, and improve quality of life for people living with HIV as they age.

In March 2023, TPAN finalized a merger agreement with Vivent Health, recognized for its ability to deliver life-changing comprehensive HIV healthcare and social services across five states. Vivent Health’s evidence-based approach to care has helped 95% of patients achieve viral suppression, exceeding the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ 2030 Ending the HIV Epidemic goal of 90%, national rate of 66% and Chicago rate of 61%. Further, 93% of Vivent Health’s Black/African American patients have achieved viral suppression, which is significantly higher than the national rate of 62% and Chicago rate of 55% (Chicago Department of Public Health).

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About Vivent Health

Rooted in our legacy organizations’ commitments to serve people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community who are most impacted by HIV, Vivent Health delivers high-quality, integrated HIV healthcare, social services, and prevention.  We work to advance health equity and justice so everyone impacted by HIV can live their best and healthiest life. 

Vivent Health currently serves nearly 17,000 people living with and vulnerable to HIV and sexually transmitted infections, as well as countless people at risk for opioid overdose. Vivent Health currently has clinics in Chicago, IL; St. Louis and Kansas City, MO; 10 cities throughout Wisconsin including Milwaukee; Denver, CO; Austin, TX; and Detroit and Ypsilanti, MI. Learn more at www.ViventHealth.org.

About Northwestern Medicine

To learn more about Northwestern Medicine, please visit NM.org.