Hinsdale Center for Reproduction has been a main artery of Hinsdale’s heart for over 25 years. Since 1991, the clinic on Elm Street, led by Dr. Michael Hickey, owner and physician, alongside his wife, practicing nurse, Ann Hickey, helped couples become parents, building families, throughout the Chicago area. However, with Dr. Hickey’s sudden passing, Burr Ridge husband-and-wife team, Dr. John and Lisa Rinehart, took over the clinic in June 2020 and renamed the establishment to Rinehart Fertility Center (RFC), all while continuing Dr. Hickey’s mission.

Dr. Rinehart knew the late Dr. Hickey and Ann as good people and colleagues. “The news was startling and quite sad during a difficult time for the entire country,” says Dr. Rinehart.

Both doctors had worked together in the past, and Lisa—a nurse and an attorney—is a well-known practice manager and facilitator in the fertility industry. Living and working in neighboring communities, it only seemed natural the two families would cross paths again.

“The Hickey family initially reached out for our help with patients as they struggled with their loss and we all quickly came to the point where it just felt right for John and I to take over the practice,” says Lisa Rinehart, Chief Executive Officer for Rinehart Fertility Center.

For former and new patients, it’s been comforting to have another husband-and-wife team at the helm and continue the one-on-one care with Assisted Reproductive Technology (A.R.T.).

“We like to say that our current approach is ‘Where A.R.T. meets Heart—Their Legacy, Our Mission,’” Dr. Rinehart explains.

During this sensitive transition to RFC, the Rineharts wanted to ensure patients would not experience any change in their care.

“As always, whether with my patients or Michael’s, the goal is continuity of care,” says Dr. Rinehart. “Change is difficult for all of us, as is infertility. Our goal is to streamline that process as much as possible.”

Through this change, RFC maintained close contact between patients, staff, and the physician which was a hallmark of the Hinsdale Center for Reproduction. Together, with Ann Hickey sharing her nursing expertise, and Victoria Jones remaining as day-to-day practice manager, the Rineharts brought together a new team to collaborate on each patient’s needs.

“John has always believed that the physician must have a central role in patient care, and he is thrilled to be able to provide that type of care at the Rinehart Fertility Center,” says Lisa Rinehart. “Infertility is a very emotionally charged problem. We help couples resolve their infertility issues in their own way, having at their disposal the latest technologies.”

RFC is equipped with the latest cutting-edge technologies and data applications to help increase the chances of success for infertility. Though it’s a sincere hope that each patient will be able to have the child they so desperately want, RFC knows this will not happen for every patient.

“For those who must choose an alternative, we will be there to assist them in their journey,” Dr. Rinehart explains. “This is the heart of A.R.T.”

The team at RFC includes experienced staff including lab director and lead embryologist, Carli Chapman, who is a world-renowned expert in her field leading a team of laboratory professionals. The nursing staff, including Ann Hickey, is handpicked, each with over 20 years of experience reflecting the clinic’s excellence and expertise. Clinical and administrative staff are equally experienced and invested in helping patients navigate their treatment. “So much of the success of A.R.T. happens in the lab and our lab is run by the best,” says Dr. Rinehart. “We are fortunate to have such a cohesive and caring team, from the front desk to the nurses to the lab. It is by far and away the best team I have ever worked with.”

Dr. Rinehart has been in practice since 1986, primarily with Evanston Hospital. He started one of the first private In Vitro Fertilization programs in the Chicago area and in 1987 opened a satellite program at Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove. John and Lisa met there when she was hired to be his practice nurse and the couple has started and been involved with multiple fertility practices in Illinois. Lisa Rinehart has practiced transactional health law at two major law firms in Chicago specializing in healthcare. She’s also been actively involved with the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys. This developed and evolved her into becoming an expert in risk management which she specializes in within her consulting firm. This has carried over to an office-based practice with the couple working side-by-side to offer patients a personalized and professional type of care with a strong base of sound, scientific principles and practices in a caring, safe environment.

“Family is everything to us, whether in our vocation or our personal lives,” mentions Lisa Rinehart, who calls Burr Ridge home.

“Our family lives in the area, our daughter graduated from Hinsdale South, we shop at Brookhaven and in downtown Hinsdale, and enjoy Eddie Merlot’s and Capri,” adds Lisa Rinehart. “In other words, we live in the area and cannot see anywhere else being home.”

Large family gatherings, christenings, confirmations, and birthdays are all part of the couple’s daily lives. Working in the community they live in is a truly rewarding experience for the Rineharts.

“What greater investment and contribution can a physician, nurse, or healthcare provider make than in the future generations?” says Dr. Rinehart. “Some family members and friends have experienced infertility problems and we have been fortunate to have been able to help them add to their families. To be steeped in our community is a natural part of our lives and perhaps the part for which we are most grateful. It is always comforting to be able to work in familiar surroundings, see patients and colleagues, and staff when we are out and about and know that in our small way, perhaps we helped the community grow.”

Rinehart Fertility Center is located at 121 N. Elm Street in Hinsdale, 630-366-5100, rinehartfertility.com.