Non-traditional planning workshop to guide population health efforts is one of the first in Chicago.

From October 2 through 9, Presence Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center (PSMEMC) is inviting all area residents and businesses to participate in a unique collaborative process of Healthy Community Visioning. The intent of this initiative is to develop a health and wellness master plan that will benefit the diverse neighborhoods making up West Town (westtownvision.org).

During the workshop’s opening session on Monday, October 5 at 5:30 pm, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk of Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company (DPZ) will publically introduce the West Town Healthy Community Visioning (WTHCV) process. She will also facilitate the weeklong sessions; encouraging all participants to openly share their observations and ideas for community health and wellness improvement. Ms. Plater-Zyberk is a notable world leader in urban design and planning. 

The highly collaborative WTHCV process is counter to traditional community planning where designers create a plan concept behind closed doors then present it to the community. In traditional planning the community has no voice in plan creation, leaving the outcomes open to negative public reaction. With the WTHCV process, which includes comprehensive pre-session research, area residents are more likely to support a final plan because they are aware their input is essential to the process.

“Presence Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center has been a cornerstone of Chicago’s Westside communities for more than a century, providing exceptional medical care, especially to those who need it most,” said Martin Judd, Presence Health Regional President and CEO of Presence Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center. “Now, as we move from providing routine health care to strengthening our community member’s health status, we must look beyond traditional health care settings, and understand the educational, economic and social issues that impact the overall wellbeing of our communities.”

In creating a shared vision for a healthy West Town, Presence Health seeks to understand:

• How to leverage community and medical assets to grow together for the future.
• What the existing impediments to health and wellness are in West Town neighborhoods and how the Presence Health system can encourage progress.
• How can we work together to align health priorities and goals to achieve the best outcomes for wellness in West Town.

Throughout the week of the workshop, the planning team will work in the Nazareth Family Center 1127 N Oakley Blvd on the Saints Mary and Elizabeth campus and will host open discussion sessions for various community members and stakeholder groups.

This approach to planning for the future through community collaboration aligns closely with the mission of Presence Health and its focus on expanding concepts of care beyond the walls of medical facilities to enhance the health and well-being of both individuals and communities.