Northwestern Medicine and the Family Health Partnership Clinic (FHPC) are expanding their partnership to address the growing number of uninsured adults in McHenry County, Illinois. The collaboration aims to ensure that those without health insurance continue to have access to comprehensive medical care.
The FHPC, based in Crystal Lake, operates as a nonprofit clinic for uninsured adults in McHenry County. It does not accept insurance and uses a sliding fee scale so that no one is turned away due to inability to pay.
“FHPC is an indispensable part of the safety net in McHenry County,” said Catie Schmit, president of Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital and Northwestern Medicine Woodstock Hospital. “In a year when more residents are losing coverage or facing impossible insurance costs, their work has never been more crucial and Northwestern Medicine is proud to stand beside them.”
As local families experience higher premiums, reduced provider networks, and increased copays, FHPC expects a significant rise in patients needing care this year. To prepare for this increase, the clinic has hired additional staff, expanded operations, implemented telehealth solutions, and improved care transition processes.
Suzanne Hoban, executive director of FHPC, emphasized the importance of support from partners like Northwestern Medicine: “Northwestern Medicine has been a fabulous partner and truly a gold standard in what community collaboration looks like. This collaboration is built on what truly matters: ensuring that no one in our community goes without care simply because they can’t afford insurance.”
According to Hoban, Northwestern Medicine’s support includes volunteer physicians, specialty care access, and funding for clinic operations. An annual grant helps fund nursing staff, supplies, an in-house pharmacy, and a food pantry. In 2025, the number of Northwestern Medicine physicians volunteering at FHPC more than doubled.
“Our physicians volunteer because they believe deeply in the clinic’s mission,” said Irfan Hafiz, MD, chief medical officer at Northwestern Medicine McHenry, Huntley and Woodstock hospitals. “They see firsthand how removing barriers like transportation, cost, and medication access can dramatically change a patient’s health trajectory. This is the kind of work that reminds us why we went into medicine.”
When patients need services beyond primary care capabilities at FHPC, they are referred efficiently to advanced specialty care through Northwestern Medicine. Patients also receive help with financial assistance applications for specialty services.
“Northwestern Medicine works with us to fast-track financial assistance applications for FHPC patients needing specialty services, surgeries, and follow-up care,” said Hoban. “This is vital for our patients with needs outside the bounds of primary care. A lack of insurance doesn’t prohibit them from receiving lifesaving care.”
Unlike federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), FHPC receives no federal funding nor accepts Medicaid or private insurance; it relies entirely on community donors and partners such as Northwestern Medicine.
The clinic offers primary care alongside behavioral health services and specialty clinics for endocrinology and orthopedics. Additional services include optometry, physical therapy, dental care, pharmacy support and food assistance—addressing social determinants of health.
Many patients arrive with complex chronic illnesses typically seen in hospital settings rather than primary clinics.
“Our patients are sick. They’re not coming in for annual physicals but arriving with complex medical needs that would be rare in a typical primary care office,” Hoban said. “Social determinants such as poverty or food insecurity contribute to this acuity and lead many patients to delay needed care for much too long. Our model removes every barrier we can.”
John Guido, MD—a radiologist who helped increase physician volunteering at FHPC—said: “One of the strengths of FHPC is their comprehensive care model that gives patients access to labs, medications, behavioral health services and specialty clinics all under one roof…patients receive continuous care rather than episodic crisis-driven care which we know leads to better long-term outcomes.”
With monthly premiums rising from $300 up to over $1,000 for some residents—and more people dropping coverage—the county may see an unprecedented wave of newly uninsured adults this year.
“This collaboration is a model for what community healthcare can look like,” said Schmit. “In a challenging healthcare environment together FHPC and Northwestern Medicine demonstrate that mission-driven partnerships can still thrive and make a meaningful impact.”
Hoban added: “This is a systemic failure not an individual one…We want people to know we are here for them – before their health crisis becomes an emergency.”
Northwestern Medicine operates under its parent organization Northwestern Memorial HealthCare (https://news.nm.org/). The organization has received national recognition for supporting physician well-being programs as well as humanitarian awards honoring community service (source). Its mission focuses on providing world-class patient-centered healthcare through clinical service delivery as well as education and research (source). Howard B. Chrisman serves as president and chief executive officer (source). The system recognizes contributions through humanitarian awards reflecting compassion (source) while engaging strategic collaborations advancing clinical research (source).
For information about FHPC or available resources visit https://hpclinic.org/.
