A Message From HUGHP’s Medical Director and HUHS Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kathy Niknejad

Dear Colleagues,

At HUHS, it is our privilege to serve the health care needs of the Harvard community. We are dedicated to supporting our patients through every stage of their health journey—from prevention and wellness to a new diagnosis or the ongoing management of a chronic condition. We also bring a deep understanding of the pace, demands, and unique needs of life and work at Harvard.

As a HUGHP member, choosing HUHS for your care brings together the advantages of a Harvard-based health plan and a clinical practice dedicated to the Harvard community. HUGHP and HUHS work closely to help make care and coverage easier to navigate. HUGHP is Harvard’s University-owned medical plan, administered in partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, and HUHS provides comprehensive care through Primary Care, Urgent Care, and Specialty Medicine. 

Our main clinical practice is located at the Smith Campus Center, in the heart of Harvard Square, with additional practices at the Law School and the Medical School in the Longwood area. These locations bring Primary Care, Urgent Care, and Specialty Medicine closer to where many members of our community live and work.  Across HUHS, our clinicians work collaboratively, allowing for direct communication and continuity across services and creating a trusted home for comprehensive, coordinated care.

Comprehensive, Connected Care—Right Here at Harvard

At HUHS, our exceptional team of primary care physicians and nurse practitioners offers highly personalized, relationship-based care, often over decades. Many of our primary care clinicians are currently welcoming new patients.

Our Urgent Care is fully integrated with Primary Care, Internal Medicine, and our specialties. Because our clinicians work within the same close-knit clinical community, communication often extends beyond the shared medical record, allowing teams to connect directly and help keep your care coordinated. Our 24-hour Urgent Care line gives you access to a clinician for guidance on urgent issues, while our nurses and care coordinators follow up to keep your PCP informed and ensure you receive the care you need. It is a model of coordinated care that is increasingly rare, including following your inpatient stay and following up with you after an emergency room visit

When you choose an HUHS PCP through HUGHP, in addition to Primary Care and Urgent Care, you also have access to a wide range of specialties on-site.

• Specialty Services: including Allergy, Dermatology, Eye Care, OB-GYN, Neurology, General Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery consultations, Physical Therapy, Urology, and Sports Medicine.  
• Behavioral Health Support: Our Behavioral Health team—composed of psychiatrists, psychologists, and therapists—understands the unique challenges faced by Harvard faculty and staff. We offer both in-person and virtual appointments with timely access, coordinating care whenever appropriate, as well as groups that share similar challenges amongst group members, and couples and family counseling. Our goal is to give you peace of mind when it comes to your and your family’s physical and mental health.
• Comprehensive Wellness Resources: We also provide nutrition, massage therapy, and acupuncture at our Center for Wellness and Health Promotion.

Our physicians and specialists are affiliated with Harvard Medical School and its world-class teaching hospitals, including Mass General Brigham, Mount Auburn Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Cambridge Health Alliance. These affiliations help facilitate referrals to leading hospitals and specialists when care is needed outside of HUHS. 

With HUGHP’s expanded primary care network, which now includes Beth Israel Lahey Health primary care practices, you and your family will also have more flexibility in where you receive care. You can continue to choose HUHS for your own primary care, while a spouse, partner, or other adult family member may choose a Beth Israel Lahey Health primary care practice that is more convenient to home or work, and children under 16 can continue to see their pediatrician regardless of location

For more than 125 years, HUHS has been dedicated to the health and wellbeing of the Harvard community. That longstanding commitment continues today through high-quality, personalized care, comprehensive HUGHP coverage, and a deep understanding of the people we serve. We look forward to continuing to care for the Harvard community for years to come.

Sincerely, 

Kathy G. Niknejad, MD
Chief Medical Officer, HUHS

You can learn more about HUHS by visiting huhs.harvard.edu. If you have any questions about our services, please contact healthservices@huhs.harvard.edu.