Phone: (847) 578-3330 Fax: (847) 578-3328
Graduate Medical Education Visitors Housestaff
The Veterans Affairs Medical Center in North Chicago (VAMCNC) is a deans committee medical center that serves 15,000 veterans. Its mental health and substance abuse section serves 3,000 veterans, including 300 hospitalized veterans. In 1998, the ambulatory and inpatient acute care building was completely renovated. VAMCNCs fine medical library specializes in neuropsychiatry and psychology, and contains 5000 volumes and 425 journals. The psychiatry service features a unique psychiatry primary care program that uses a team ("firm" group, continuity of care) model. In this model, each patient has his or her own psychiatrist who - along with residents, students and other professionals - treats the patient regardless of setting, be it the outpatient clinic, the inpatient service, or the consultation service. This program is responsible for the care of 2,500 psychiatric patients. The patient population is about half African- and half Euro-American. Most psychiatric inpatients are treated for acute psychosis, depression, behavioral neurologic disorder (e.g., epileptic psychosis, dementia), or dual diagnosis. Also at VAMCNC is an internal medicine primary care service.