Marianjoy Benefits the Community

In addition to physical medicine and rehabilitation care, Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital is a community resource and benefits individuals with disabilities and the population at large. Through a wide variety of programs encompassed by Marianjoy, the physicians and clinical staff provide their highly specialized expertise to improve the health of people with disabilities and reduce health disparities.

An estimated 20 percent of the U.S. population is limited by a self-reported disability. Individuals with disabilities are at a significantly higher risk of unemployment. Given these facts, Marianjoy benefits the community by addressing the health care and related needs of the primary populations it serves, with a special focus on serving those populations with the highest risk of disability, including, but not limited to, the poor, high-risk children, and older adults.

In addition to the advocacy, research and education that Marianjoy does to address community health needs, the community benefits from the following specific programs and resources:

Marianjoy Community Care Program: Marianjoy provides medically necessary healthcare services to people in the communities it serves; no persons may be denied emergent or urgent care or receive less than the appropriate level of care, regardless of ability to pay. Learn More.
Charitable Assistance for Assistive Devices Program: Marianjoy provides charitable support to individuals who do not have access to assistive devices or technology.
Professional Training, Education and Clinical Research Activities: Marianjoy professional educational programming includes a physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) residency program, as well as clinical experiences for students in nursing, allied health professionals, social workers, pharmacists and dieticians. In addition, clinical staff at Marianjoy are engaged in the provision of ongoing education and professional development of both practicing professionals and aspiring students, in order to serve all patients better.
Driver Rehabilitation Vehicle Modification Program: This program provides individuals with a disability, living at or below the poverty level, the opportunity to drive again.
Transportation: Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital provides transportation for clients who have little to no means to travel to therapy.
Advancing Continuing Education for Students with Physical Disabilities: Each year the Marianjoy Scholarship Program awards more than $60,000 in scholarships to deserving young men and women with disabilities from the Chicagoland area pursuing post-high school education.
Community Support Groups: The community benefits from a variety of support groups, sponsored by Marianjoy, where former patients, their families, and caregivers can share experiences, learn about resources, and network.
Community Education Programs: Multiple free events targeted to specific needs of patients utilizing Marianjoy services; medical library access for patients and families seeking additional information and resources; collaborative support to nonprofits, foundations and government agencies who reach the disabled and other high-risk populations.

For more information about these and other resources, please view the Marianjoy Community Health Needs Assessment.

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