UIC's academic health enterprise, UI Health, is based in the nation's largest urban healthcare community: the Illinois Medical District (IMD). Centered at the gateway to Chicago's South and West Sides, UI Health is committed to providing high-quality, innovative health and wellness services to some of the nation's most diverse communities. As the state's only public academic health enterprise with seven health science colleges and diverse health professions programs, UI Health is uniquely positioned to train future healthcare leaders, pursue innovative research, and translate our expertise to compassionate patient care for neighborhoods across Chicago, communities throughout Illinois, and beyond. UI Health's commitment to the community is a responsibility to engage our patients and community partners to address health disparities in pursuit of health equity.
The UI Health community remains actively engaged with communities locally and across the state to design health interventions and practices that can improve the health and well-being of patients and their families. Some of the distinct programs and centers that are dedicated to activating communities to take control of their health are listed here - though may not be completely exhaustive.
Programs and Centers with Community Commitment Heading link
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The University of Illinois Cancer Center
From bench to community.
The University of Illinois Cancer Center is the only public university-based cancer center in Chicago dedicated to the pursuit of health equity and study of cancer disparities. Our expert, multidisciplinary cancer focused physicians and researchers are dedicated to applying innovative breakthroughs for patient care from the bench to bedside to the delivery of treatment and clinical trial options to our community.
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Mile Square Health Center Community Board (Community-based Practice)
The Office Community Based Practice (CBP) aims to involve community members, community based organizations, local agencies, researchers, and other stakeholders as partners in the mission to foster equitable access and delivery of comprehensive, quality care for all Chicagoans seeking care at the Mile Square Health Centers (i.e., health care screenings, preventive consultation, diagnostic services, and treatment) and affiliated clinics through research, evaluation, and learning. The overarching goal of CBP is to eradicate health inequities, promote continuum of care, and improve health outcomes.
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Community Engaged Research and Implementation Science (OCERIS)
The UI Cancer Center’s Community Engagement and Health Equity Office (CEHE) works to decrease cancer burden and increase access across the cancer care continuum. We build relationships with community partners to increase access to cancer screening and cancer care, and advocate for policy changes that are responsive to the communities we serve.
We achieve results through partnerships with UI Health, Mile Square Health Center, and more than 50 community and national organizations. Using an integrated population health and health disparities framework, our outcomes inform University of Illinois Cancer Center programmatic research.
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The Office of Community Engagement and Neighborhood Health Partnerships (OCEAN-HP)
OCEAN-HP supports unique partnerships that enliven the mission of the University of Illinois at Chicago and engage community-serving organizations in cooperative efforts to improve Chicago communities. OCEAN-HP has a campus-wide focus that extends to all UIC colleges. We focus on developing, facilitating and sustaining viable and mutually beneficial campus-community partnerships.
Our major areas of concentration include:
- Health professional and lay health worker education
- Consumer health and wellness education
- Community-engaged research, research dissemination and implementation
- Community-based health services including primary and behavioral healthcare services
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Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA)
UI Health has performed three community health needs assessments in recent years. Reports published in 2013, 2016 and 2019 identify and prioritize the health needs in the communities we serve, and include discussion of physical and mental health conditions, challenges in accessing care, and the social and economic factors that impact health.