What You Should Know:
– The Chicago ARC, a new venture collaborative focused on accelerating health equity solutions, has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with the University of Chicago Medicine and Sinai Chicago — as the organization’s first Founding Healthcare Partners. The Chicago ARC also officially welcomed Kate Merton, Ph.D., as its executive director.
– The Chicago ARC was founded on the belief that where you live, work and play should be positive drivers of your health and how you receive healthcare. Chicago ARC Healthcare Partners will play a crucial role in directing and piloting new technologies to transform healthcare and improve health equity in Chicago and beyond.
Chicago ARC Background/Overview
Chicago ARC builds upon the proven ARC model (Accelerate, Redesign, Collaborate) of Sheba Medical Center — a Newsweek Top-10 global hospital — which brings together startups with experienced operators and an extensive healthcare partner network. The Chicago ARC is being developed as the centerpiece of the $3.8 billion health-focused of Bronzeville Lakefront development. Areas of focus and impact for the Chicago ARC include maternal and child health, chronic disease management, rural healthcare, aging in place, behavioral and mental health, and cancer diagnosis.
Healthcare Partners Area of Focus
Healthcare Partners will pilot technologies that meet the needs of healthcare professionals and the communities they serve, create a community of learning to connect local and global best practices and promote collaboration and joint projects. In addition, organizations have prioritized areas for increased focus or additional collaboration.
The Chicago ARC also presents significant opportunities for international collaboration, in a model that can be replicated in other U.S. markets. “The work Chicago ARC is undertaking with partners in Israel is an example of how Israel and the United States can share expertise to have a significant impact on the realization of equitable healthcare through innovation and community collaboration,” said Yinam Cohen, Consul General of Israel to the Midwest. “The top research institutions, health systems partners, and providers of Chicago and the Midwest – like those the Chicago ARC is bringing together – present an excellent opportunity for Israeli startups looking to establish and expand their presence in the U.S.”
