Alissa Bartel was born in raised in Rockford, Illinois, and she values the city's small-town feel and the dedication of the community to making it a better place to live.

She became a nurse practitioner because it is important to her to make a positive impact on people's lives and she prioritizes improving the patient experience for every person who seeks care. Her devotion to serving others makes her a perfect match for OSF HealthCare.

"I believe in the Mission of OSF Healthcare," Alissa said. "It is a privilege to work for an organization that believes in delivering the greatest care and love to all of our patients."

She chose family practice as her specialty because of the variety of people she gets to treat on a daily basis. She gets to a care for people throughout the lifespan and often gets to treat whole families.

When it comes to her approach to patient care, Alissa is all about cooperation and communication.

"I believe in empowering the patient to be their best advocate for health," Alissa said. "I like to partner with the patient to deliver quality care, and when we work together, we achieve the best outcomes. I hope that an appointment with me would be filled with meaningful conversation and goals agreed upon to optimize that person's quality of life."

Alissa is married to Luke. The couple have three children and founded SAMs Sweet Heart Foundation, which provides support to families of children diagnosed with complex medical conditions.

In her free time, Alissa enjoys walks, playing outdoors with her husband and children and gardening.