Mercy Health System is teaming up with McHenry County PADS ( Public Action to Deliver Shelter), a division of Pioneer Center, to raise money to help provide shelter and create awareness about homelessness in McHenry County.

Mercy partners will join 1,200 “sleepers” who are planning to participate in the “Sleepout for Shelter” overnight homeless experience April 17. Shelter for the night will be cardboard box tents, camping tents, vehicles or any other creative ideas that come to mind.

Our goal for the Sleepout for Shelter fundraiser is ambitious and our desire to make a difference in our community is relentless.  Together we can make a difference.

Mercy Health System is committed to caring for its patients and community members. Today, Mercy receives over 1,000,000 patient visits and provides thousands of health screenings, community education classes and outreach events each year. Mercy partners personally give thousands of hours of their time and over $550,000 in donations to local volunteer organizations each year. For more information about Mercy Health System, please visit www.mercyhealthsystem.org.

PADS is a charitable not-for-profit organization with a mission to provide emergency, transitional and preventive measures for the homeless of McHenry County. There are approximately 14,000 homeless residents living in McHenry County. 

For more information about our fundraising efforts visit: http://www.gifttool.com/athon/OurTeamPage?ID=1505&AID=714&TID=5614

Mercy Health System is ranked in the top 10 in the Midwest and top 20 nationally in 2010 SDI Top 100® Integrated Healthcare Networks (IHNs) survey.

Mercy Health System ranks number 20 on this year’s Top 100 IHN list, and received the highest ranking in Wisconsin and ranks # 2 in Illinois.

The survey’s results were published in the Modern Healthcare Magazine’s January 25 issue. “It is a privilege to be recognized for providing excellent patient care and exceeding industry standards by SDI, and that Mercy is ranked among the nation’s largest and most prestigious health care networks,” said Javon R. Bea, president and CEO of Mercy Health System.

“It is through our broad expansion of services to a wide geographic area that we are able to offer the high-tech specialty care that was once only the province of large metropolitan hospitals. We continue to be a successful leader among integrated health systems by making tough business decisions, as all businesses must do in order to grow and prosper.”

This year marks the first time Mercy Health System is the top ranking health system in Wisconsin in the 13 years that the magazine has reported survey results. This is the ninth consecutive year Mercy Health System has been included in SDI’s Top100® IHN list.

SDI ranks integrated health care networks with respect to their level and degree of system integration, and each network’s ability to operate as a unified organization in eight categories: integration, integrated technology, contractual capabilities, outpatient utilization, financial stability, services and access, hospital utilization, and physicians.

For more information about Mercy Health System, visit, http://www.mercyhealthsystem.org

Know your numbers!

n      FREE BMI and fingerstick cholesterol screenings with Dr. Sangita Patel, internal medicine physician

March 1-26

Mercy Harvard Clinic South, 348 S. Division St.

Appointments: (815)943-1122

Did you know your waist-to-height measurement ratio (as determined by body mass index screening) and cholesterol number could offer indications of your risk for certain diseases? Early detection and intervention can help you get effective treatment, leading to better quality of life, now and in the future.

An estimated 6.2 million Americans have diabetes but don’t know it.

 Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the US.  Early detection of these common diseases can help you get effective treatment, leading to a better quality of life now and in the future.

   n   FREE fingerstick cholesterol and blood glucose screenings with Dr. Rajana Soorya, family medicine

March 1-26

Mercy Crystal Lake Medical Center South, 415-A Congress Pkwy.

Appointments: (815)356-7494                 

Do you have the following leg problems?

          •Pain, tingling, numbness, tiredness or cramping
          • Foot/toe wounds that won’t heal or heal slowly

If so, you could have PAD, or peripheral artery disease. Left untreated, PAD can lead to heart attack, stroke or   amputation. 

   n  FREE PAD Screenings with Dr. Douglas Bryan,MD, General/vascular surgery
Mercy Woodstock Medical Center and Mercy Harvard Hospital Clinic

March1-26, 9 am-4 pm

A referral from your family physician is preferred, but not required.

Appointments: (815) 943-8090

Did you get too much sun last summer?

 n FREE Skin Cancer Screenings with Christine Watson, PA-C,

Mercy Woodstock Medical Center, 2000 Lake Ave.

March 9: 8:30 am-noon

March 11: 1-4:45 pm

Appointments: (888) 39-MERCY.

  n FREE Skin Cancer Screenings with Dr. Viquar Mundozie, family medicine physician
March 1-26
Mercy Harvard Clinic South, 348 S. Division St.

Appointments:(815)943-1122

Are you at risk for osteoporosis?

 
         nFREE bone density screenings with Emily Shen, MD, family medicine physician.

March 1-24

Mercy Crystal Lake Medical Center South, 415-A Congress Pkwy.

Appointments: (815) 356-7494.

• In 2006, heart disease was the cause of death in 315,706 American men.
• The average age for a first heart attack for men is 66 years.
• Almost half of men who have a heart attack under age 65 die within 8 years.
• Between 70% and 89% of sudden cardiac events occur in men. 

Although heart disease is sometimes thought of as a "man's disease," it is the leading cause of death for both women and men in the United States, and women account for nearly 50% of heart disease deaths.

In 2006, heart disease was the cause of death in nearly 316,000 females.

Heart disease is often perceived as an "older woman's disease," and it is the leading cause of death among women aged 65 years and older. However, heart disease is the third leading cause of death among women aged 25-44 years and the second leading cause of death among women aged 45-64 years. Remember that many cases of heart disease can be prevented!  For more facts from the CDC visit http://www.cdc.gov/features/heartmonth/.


Heart Disease is the Number One Cause of Death: Are you at risk? Take this quiz.

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3019149

For more information on heart health or to find a physician contact Mercy Healthline at 888-39-MERCY.

Mercy Health System invites girls aged 9 to 11 and their moms or an adult female relative or friend to “Girl Talk,” a unique health and wellness talk that focuses on teaching girls how to grow up healthy, confident and strong. This free event will take place Thursday, February 25 from 6-8 pm, at Mercy Woodstock Medical Center, 2000 Lake Ave.

Mercy’s female health experts will discuss and take questions about:

• Improving body image

• How every body changes

• Increasing self-esteem

• Proper skin care

• The vital role of exercise and good nutrition during puberty

Adults will learn:

• Issues that concern today’s girls

• How to help girls grow into confident young women

• How to open the lines of communication

Mercy speakers include Emily Shen, MD, Family Medicine, Rachel Frederickson, PA-C, Dermatology and Jenny Paul, RD, Dietitian.

Refreshments and finger foods will be served. Seating is limited and registration is required. To register for this free program, call (888) 39-MERCY.

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Osteoporosis is not just a concern for senior citizens. And, with early detection, lifestyle changes, and new therapies, osteoporosis may be preventable and treatable even for high-risk individuals.

Dr. Roshi Gulati, a Mercy Health System family medicine physician, is offering free bone density screenings at Mercy Woodstock Medical Center, 2000 Lake Ave., February 15-March 5.

If you have not had a bone density screening, take advantage of this quick and painless procedure which involves an ultrasound of your heel. These are screenings only. An additional appointment can be made if treatment is sought. Screening times are limited and an appointment is required.

What are some risk factors of OSTEOPOROSIS?

• Caucasian or Asian

•Female over 30

• Male over 45

• Small body frame

• Lack of exercise

• Poor nutritional/eating habits

• Inadequate calcium and Vitamin D intake

• Tobacco and alcohol use

• Certain medications

• Family history

Please make your appointment today by calling Mercy Woodstock Medical Center at (815) 337-7100.

• BOTOX® Cosmetic single treatment ($300 value)

• iPod Nano®

To participate, blood donors must be at least 17 years old (16 years old with parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds and be in general good health. In one hour's time, a person can donate one unit of blood that can be separated into four individual components that could help save multiple lives. Mercy Harvard Hospital staff members will be taking appointments in 10-minute increments. Appointments can be made by calling Penny Gustafson at 815-943-8209.

Mercy Health System is proud to announce that the Mercy Cooperative Childcare Institute in Janesville has earned the 2009 ACMPE-MGMA (American College of Medical Practice Executives-Medical Group Management Association) Fred Graham Award for Innovation in Improving Community Health. The award is the highest recognition given to a health care organization that has developed activities and solutions to advance the effectiveness of health care delivery and improve community health.

Mercy Cooperative Childcare Institute (CCI) combines the resources of Mercy Health System, Rock County Social Services and the Janesville school district. This convergence provides intensive residential treatment for children aged 6-17 with moderate behavioral and emotional conditions. CCI receives nearly all its support from the counties it serves and provides care at a much lower cost than charged by many counties with mental health institutional facilities. CCI offers patients and their families cost-effective, comprehensive, quality care in a homelike setting. Parents and guardians also receive in-home parenting skills education.

Opened in 1996, CCI taps Mercy Health System’s child psychiatry and therapy treatment team, teachers from the local school district and social services from the county at a centrally located residential facility. It primarily cares for physically and sexually abused children, children with emotional challenges, children requiring respite care and children with behavior-control issues. Most also have mental health diagnoses such as bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and significant attention-deficit disorders. Typically, these children have failed to respond to community supports such as schools, case management, traditional outpatient mental health services and foster care.

“Our philosophy is to provide support and services to these children to help them stay as close to their community as possible,” says Javon R. Bea, Mercy Health System president/CEO and MGMA member. “These kids are some of the most abused. They come from terribly troubled families. We feel a real sense of mission to help them recover and reposition their lives. Ultimately, we hope to see them re-integrated into a supportive and nurturing family environment”

To date, CCI has cared for 329 children placed by 22 Wisconsin counties. It has helped another 117 through its respite program, which houses and treats troubled youngsters to give their caretakers a break. “We apply trauma-informed care—getting a trauma history from the child, using behavior modification, respecting the child’s worldview. This has contributed to our success rate. Our average length of stay has gone from one year to three months; we’re seeing success in a much shorter time.”

In response to the troubled economy, CCI has also developed an intensive, 90-day residential treatment program. “This service is for children who need drastic medication changes and evaluation for the proper next steps in care,” Bea says.

Bea notes that CCI is seeing more children diagnosed with autism and is developing programming to meet this need. “We offer educational processes, mental health and behavioral therapies all at once. This is a unique model for a health care system. CCI is a trusted community resource, and we will continue to reach out to troubled and struggling children in order to give them a brighter future.”

Mercy Health System is pleased to announce that after an intensive on-site review in December 2009 by a team of nationally recognized trauma site reviewers, the Regional Emergency Trauma Center at Mercy Hospital Janesville has been verified as the only Level II Trauma Center in south-central Wisconsin—including Madison—by the verification review committee (VRC) of the American College of Surgeons.

This extraordinary achievement recognizes Mercy trauma service’s exceptional care for injured patients. Other hospitals in the area have lower State Level III and IV designations except for University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics in Madison, a Level I trauma center with teaching and research activities and services such as burn care and organ transplant.

The Regional Emergency Trauma Center at Mercy Hospital Janesville and UW Hospital and Clinics, Madison, are the only Level II and I American College of Surgeons-verified trauma centers serving south-central Wisconsin.

What does this designation mean to our patients?

The Regional Emergency Trauma Center at Mercy Hospital Janesville offers patients immediate, life-saving care close to home with resources available to care for critical emergencies, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and continues to care for most injured patients through their entire course of hospital care and rehabilitation.

As 24/7 Level II providers, our trauma-trained surgeons and 10 new emergency department physicians are experts at providing critical care to injured patients. This team of experts works with our neurosurgeons, orthopaedic surgeons, ear, nose and throat surgeons, plastic surgeons, and highly trained critical care intensivists, cardiologists, hospitalists and rehabilitation specialists. State-of-the-art laboratory and medical imaging, trauma-trained emergency department nursing staff, skilled inpatient nursing, respiratory therapy, social services, and inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation programs support our doctors and patients.

“Congratulations and thank you to the trauma team, our regional emergency medical professionals and everyone who played a role in helping Mercy receive Level II trauma verification center status,” says Javon R. Bea, president/CEO of Mercy Health System. “This is a major accomplishment in advancing a high level of trauma care to our local and regional communities,” Bea adds.

“Seamless trauma care requires teamwork, incorporating every aspect of care provided to critically injured patients,” says Robb Whinney, DO, FACOS, board certified general surgeon, trauma surgeon and medical director of Mercy’s Regional Trauma Program, adding, “EMS providers and our medical staff can care for most patients, and their families, in our region from the initial contact at the injury site, to the emergency/trauma department, through recovery, rehabilitation and re-entry into the community.”

What is the American College of Surgeons? The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational association of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical education and practice and to improve the care of the surgical patient. The College has over 72,000 members and it is the largest association of surgeons in the world. Long-standing achievements have placed the American College of Surgeons in the forefront of American surgery and have made it an important advocate for all surgical patients.