Primary care returns to Westville with new La Porte Physician Network clinic at PNW

1/11/2018

Westville, Ind. – La Porte Physician Network and La Porte Hospital are bringing primary care back to Westville with the opening of a new primary care clinic on the campus of Purdue University Northwest. The clinic will open Jan. 15, in the Athletic Center connected to the Dworkin Student Services and Activities Complex. The address of the Purdue Northwest Westville Campus is 1401 S. U.S. Highway 421. Care will be provided by Maureen Panares, F-DNP.

“The clinic at PNW is a big step toward making primary care more accessible to the communities we serve, and we are pleased to see it come to fruition. It’s a great way to start 2018, and we are very glad to be bringing primary care back to the Westville community,” said Ashley Dickinson, CEO at La Porte Hospital.

Tracey Knapp, Vice President of Physician Networks, said the clinic will be open to students, faculty and staff at PNW, as well as the general public. “It has been a pleasure working with the PNW team to make this clinic a reality. We know having primary care right on campus will be convenient for students and staff, but also for the community at large. We imagine students and staff coming to the clinic in between classes to be checked out for things like sore throats, allergies, and other illnesses. But we also envision the Westville community finding a strong and supportive family provider at the clinic. It’s a wonderful addition to the community,” Knapp said.

The clinic initially will be open from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays; and 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays. Appointments should be made by calling (219) 304-6100. Services will include physicals, sick visits, minor injuries, allergies, screening and monitoring of acute and chronic conditions, vaccinations and immunizations, well woman exams and PAP tests, and other services for which you’d typically see a primary care doctor.

Panares is a board certified advanced practice nurse with a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Rush University in Chicago. She obtained her Associate and Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees from Purdue University Northwest in Hammond, where she also worked as the Director of the Student Health Center and Interim Assistant Vice Chancellor for Health & Wellness from 2006-2014. Panares has also served as a nurse practitioner in private family practice in Munster, for Calumet High School in Gary, and LifePlex Urgent Care in Plymouth, and in a similar student health center director capacity at Valparaiso University, where she created the first multidisciplinary team for the treatment of eating disorders. She has completed residencies at the Infant Welfare Society in Chicago, and the Catherine McAuley Clinic in Hammond. During her doctoral residency training, she implemented a computer-based surveillance system for the care of patients with diabetes. Before moving her practice to the PNW clinic, Panares was a primary care provider with La Porte Physician Network Primary Care at Sagamore Plaza in La Porte.

“Meeting my patients where they are, educating them about their health and inspiring them to take control of their own health is very rewarding,” Panares said. “Before I became a nurse practitioner, I spent many years as a nurse in a medical/surgical practice, and in critical care. Over time, my interests have shifted to help my patients focus on preventive medicine practices so they can avoid chronic illnesses like diabetes. The research I’ve done, and education I had at Rush has provided me with a great advantage as a nurse practitioner,” she added.

Panares specializes in assessing, diagnosing and treating diverse student populations and families of all ages who are experiencing acute illnesses and chronic conditions. She provides complete physical exams, screenings, gynecological exams, and prescribes medications as needed for a full continuum of family care. The clinic will also provide basic lab draws for patients needing lab work.

Patients driving to the clinic will find easiest access from the South Drive entrance off US 421. Take South Drive to Lot 7 for parking. The clinic entrance is located at the far north side of the circle drive to the north of the Dworkin Student Services & Activities Complex main door. A “Health Clinic” sign marks the entrance at the top of the building.

For more information or to make an appointment, call (219) 304-6100.

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