Beloit is known for many things – dining, shopping and recreation, to name a few. Beloit also is a city to turn to when it comes to the best in healthcare.
Dr. Neel Karne with Tim McKevett, Beloit Health System President and CEO, and Dr. Alice Townshend
In 2010, those qualities were further enhanced when Beloit Memorial Hospital and Beloit Clinic merged to form Beloit Health System.
“We became a comprehensive health system,” says Tim McKevett, President and CEO, who has been with the organization for 30 years. “We were a stand-alone community hospital before we integrated with Beloit Clinic. To me, what’s important is that we’re ensuring the best care for the citizens of Beloit. They deserve the best.”
Beloit Health System includes a 350,000-square foot hospital that sits on the east side of Beloit next to the main clinic. The system has 12 locations including seven outreach clinics: Beloit Hospital; Beloit Clinic; NorthPointe Health and Wellness Campus – Roscoe, IL; Occupational Health, Sports, and Family Medicine; the Beloit/UW Cancer Center; Riverside Terrace and NorthPointe Terrace assisted living centers; outreach clinics in Clinton, Darien, Janesville; and the West Side Clinic in Beloit that offer comprehensive care that includes pediatric care, women’s health and adult medicine.
Affiliated with University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics
Beloit Health System is the first system in the state to affiliate with the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, first in the country to offer a mobile nurse service for businesses, and first in the nation to implement a bar coding system for patient safety. Beloit Health System is fully accredited by The Joint Commission, the leading accrediting body in healthcare.
In 2007, the hospital opened a $35 million new comprehensive health and wellness campus in Roscoe, called NorthPointe, which includes: immediate care, physician clinic, medical based wellness center, spa services and an assisted living center, NorthPointe Terrace.
“Roscoe, Rockton, and South Beloit is one of highest population growth areas in Illinois,” says McKevett. “NorthPointe provides outstanding comprehensive care right in their community which is more convenient for patients than leaving the area for care.” In 2015, NorthPointe was voted Business of the Year by Roscoe Chamber of Commerce.
Living in Beloit and caring for the community is a great feeling
With 1,600 employees, including a strong team of experienced physicians, Beloit Health System is the largest employer in Beloit. “Physicians who have decided to join the health system are some of the most highly trained in the country. They have a passion for quality care and possess a personal touch,” says McKevett. “Being in the Beloit community allows them to treat their neighbors. That’s what makes it special.”
Dr. Neel Karne joined Beloit Health System in 2013, after completing his residency in Syracuse, New York. The surgeon considered opportunities in Texas, New York, and Missouri, before choosing to come to Beloit, where he can perform everything from general to oncology surgery.
Dr. Karne and his wife, Radhika, also find Beloit to be a safe community to raise their two young children. The family enjoys volunteering for Meals on Wheels and the Salvation Army, sampling various restaurants and attending special events. “Overall, I find the people in the Midwest to be extremely friendly,” Karne says. “Living in a smaller town like Beloit, it’s a great feeling running into patients in the community that you’ve treated. It gives my children a chance to know what I do, and why I might be on call or gone at night. I’m doing something that matters.”
Dr. Alice Townshend, an ophthalmologist at Beloit Health System, can relate. She came to Beloit 19 years ago from Chicago and didn’t plan on a long stay, but grew to appreciate Beloit and its diversity. “It’s really a nice community, and we’ve made many good friends,” says Townshend, who along with her husband, Steve, and two children, enjoy dining out, golfing and riding the bike trails. “In a smaller community, my patients are forever grateful for their care. I get to know certain patients that I’ve treated for many years. In a larger city, I might not get that opportunity.”
McKevett agrees.
“Everything patients need is right here in their own backyard, with the quality that is as good as or better than larger metropolitan areas,” he says. “It’s that connection and personal touch makes Beloit Health System unique.”