Primary Care with Compassion

Thrive Healthcare is here for you. Owned and operated by a family nurse practitioner, we find that our patients feel heard and supported in their healthcare journey. We spend more time with our patients and focus on developing a plan of care that fits their lifestyle and needs. There is no one size fits all in healthcare and by using a combined approach; evaluating and treating the root cause, accounting for differences in lifestyle and beliefs; using natural therapies in combination with medicine when appropriate, we find our patients are happier and healthier.

Read on for more information about what we can do in our office and full practice authority nurse practitioners.

Are you tired of waiting weeks to get an appointment with your primary care provider only to have them spend five minutes in the room with you? Do you feel like your concerns are ignored or overlooked? Do you want a provider who listens to you and looks at you at as a real person with goals and dreams, not just an illness?

Primary Care Services

  • Well Visits and Physicals

    All ages accepted - school/sports physicals, PAP smear, screening tests, nutrition counseling.

  • Illness and Injury Care

    From the flu to broken bones, and everything in between. We can often see minor illness and injuries within 24 hours.

  • Managing Chronic Illness

    Prescribing daily medications, adjusting dosage, referring and coordinating complex care with specialists.

  • Mental Health

    Evaluate, diagnose and treat anxiety, depression, ADD/ADHD and more.

We draw labs (blood work) in the office for your convenience!

So what exactly is a board certified, full practice authority nurse practitioner?

Full Practice authority laws and regulations in Illinois (and many other states) enable nurse practitioners (NPs) to practice to the full extent of their education, training, and certification, without physician oversight. NPs can evaluate patients, diagnose, order, and interpret diagnostic tests, and initiate and manage treatments (including prescribing medications and controlled substances) under the licensing authority of the State Board of Nursing.

Here are answers to a few questions we are often asked:

What kind of training did you complete? An undergraduate degree (4 years) in nursing, followed by a Master’s degree as a family nurse practitioner with extensive clinical requirements (3 years) is the minimum to be a nurse practitioner. In Illinois, after completion of these requirements an additional 4,000 hour (2 years) clinical residency with a physician is required to obtain full practice authority. At Thrive all of that education is also backed up with an extensive amount of clinical experience - 15 years in emergency medicine, 5 years flight nursing at Flight for Life McHenry, 3 years of IV therapy, 4 years of ICU nursing and 5 years of medical aesthetics.

What is the difference between you and a primary care doctor? Doctor’s and nurse practitioners have a lot differences in the way they were taught, doctor’s training mainly focuses on disease and diagnosis. Nurse practitioners are taught to focus on the patient as whole person. We often receive comments on how different our bedside manner is and how much patients love it! There is little difference beyond that and I tell patients they need to see whomever they are most comfortable with. There is nothing a primary care doctor can do in the office that a full practice authority NP can’t do - so it really comes down to you, the patient. If seeing someone with the letters MD after their name is really important to you, then that is where you need to be. First and foremost you need to trust the person responsible for your healthcare and feel that you have a good relationship with them.

Will my insurance let me see a nurse practitioner as my primary? Yes, you can designate a full practice authority NP as your primary care provider and your insurance will provide the same coverage.

What do I call you, Doctor? NP? I was raised to treat everyone equally and with respect. I often feel that titles separate us and are designed to make me feel important, and you less so, which is completely unnecessary. What you call me doesn’t diminish my background, education or experience, so please, Chelsey is fine!