Smith Family Breast Health Center Munson’s new Breast Health Center will be the first comprehensive breast center north of Grand Rapids. The project will offer mammography screening, diagnostic testing, support, and education. Plans call for an 8,100 square foot facility located within the existing Ambulatory Surgical Center at the Copper Ridge facility. This project reaches far into our community — and eventually will serve every woman in the region. Projected opening date: February 14, 2008.
Munson Heart Center The new Heart Center will enhance the delivery of care to heart patients. By December 2008, all of Munson Medical Centers cardiovascular services will be consolidated into one convenient location, occupying new floors above the Emergency Department.
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30-bed cardiothoracic surgery unit
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30-bed cardiology unit (heart attack)
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38-bed medical cardiology unit (heart failure)
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Three heart catherization and two electrophysiology laboratories, along with 24 adjacent recovery beds. Also, non-invasive cardiology services. Opens in December 2008.
Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital Renovations
Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital has proposed four significant upgrades and renovations that will provide safer, faster, and more convenient service to the community and its seasonal visitors. Renovations and enhancements will be completed by 2009. The cost will be $2.4 million.
The four areas of change are: Emergency Room Renovations, Acute Care Bed Relocation, Lobby Expansion and Covered Drop Off, and Digital Mammography Unit Purchase.
OTHER PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
Clinical Pastoral Care Program Clinical Pastoral Care Program is seeking funding to expand the number of trained ministers available to serve Munson patients in their spiritual needs. While this service is currently provided by Munson Medical Center, there is only one Chaplain on staff, leading many patients to feel their spiritual needs were not met. With proper funding, 6-8 students would receive 16 hours of education per week over a six-month period, including professional instruction and supervision, group work, and individual study in order to learn how to provide spiritual support to patients during their hospital stays.
COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES
Diabetes Initiative The goal of the new Northern Michigan Diabetes Initiative is to improve the number of people whose diabetes is well controlled across our region. Partners include Munson Healthcare, Priority Health, diabetes professionals, and other health professionals. By coordinating education and prevention activities among physicians and community members, we can improve the diagnosis, education, and treatment of diabetes.
Healthy Futures Provides free community-based support and education to all pregnant women delivering babies at Munson Medical Center — an average of 2,000 births per year. Families of children born at Mercy Hospital Cadillac and West Shore Medical Center in Manistee are offered the services as well.
All families are sent a series of 16 education newsletters timed to provide information about important developmental milestones, health tips, and reminders about immunizations (birth – age 5 years). In addition, families can sign up for Registered Nurse services that include home visits and phone calls. More than 11,000 children have benefited from this service.
Patient Transportation The Patient Transportation subsidy contributes local funding for the Health Ride and for the Northwest Michigan Transportation Alliance. Through contracts for bus service with county transportation authorities, Health Ride provides access to Munson Healthcare services — primarily the Biederman Cancer Center and the Traverse Bay Regional Dialysis Center — for financially-disadvantaged persons: the elderly, persons with disabilities, and persons of low income, who have difficulty providing their own transportation. Funds are also provided on a case-by-case basis to provide transportation home from Munson Medical Center after discharge for patients with no other options. Through its contribution to the Alliance, Munson helps to ensure transportation for all medical needs throughout the community. The Alliance represents more than 20 agencies and organizations, and makes use of all available means of transportation including buses, public routes, and volunteer drivers to provide rides in a three-county area.
About 18,000 one-way trips are provided each year to approximately 2,000 individuals from the following counties: Benzie, Grand Traverse, and Leelanau — 12,000 trips, Antrim — 500 trips, Crawford — 1,500 trips, Cadillac/Wexford/Missaukee — 1,200 trips, Manistee — 1,600 trips, Kalkaska — 1,100 trips, and other — 200 trips.
Mammography Assistance Fund Annual screenings are recommended for all women over the age of 40 and in some cases, for younger women. The Mammography Assistance Fund was established to help pay for mammograms for those patients who do not have the ability to pay for this screening.
Nursing Education — Sustaining Fund The provision of quality nursing care to hospitalized patients is critical to achieving positive patient outcomes and high levels of patient satisfaction. Evolving technologies, growing health care research, and other best practices requires additional education of nurses to assure that safe, competent, high quality, and the most up-to-date care is provided. It is becoming more difficult to meet this growing need for nursing support due to the tighter economic realities in health care. Creating a fund to support ongoing nursing training and education would ensure that the professional development needs of nurses are met in the future.
Patient Needs Fund Munson’s Patient Needs Fund provides assistance to patients and families who need help with transportation costs, utility bills, day care costs, etc. while seeking treatment for their health care. Many of these families are in crisis, and support from the Patient Needs Fund allows them to continue their medical care.
Pediatric Specialty Clinics Expanded pediatric specialty services in northern Michigan are desired for local diagnosis, management, and treatment of more complex or chronic pediatric medical needs. Some pediatric specialty services are available, but many pediatric patients, who are in need of specialty care, travel with their families to other communities. The additional time, effort, and travel expense adds significantly to the family’s burden.
Pediatric Therapy Services and Programs There is a growing demand for pediatric therapy services while reimbursement from the State of Michigan continues to be cut. Services provided include: feeding programs, therapeutic listening programs, cognitive development programming, ENT-evaluation for hearing aides, sensory motor therapy, special equipment and home assessments, as well as our bereavement program for children who have lost a loved one. Approximately 225 children are served annually.
Women’s Cancer Fund The Women’s Cancer Fund is dedicated to helping women diagnosed with cancer who are members of the communities served by Munson Medical Center. The fund is used to provide financial assistance for supportive care when other means have been exhausted. Supportive Care will include, but is not limited to, such things as prosthetics, transportation during treatment, childcare during treatment, utilities during treatment, etc. The Women’s Cancer Fund is not intended to provide funding for specific treatments.
Munson Manor As a regional referral center, Munson Medical Center serves patients who travel a great distance for quality health care. The Munson Manor Hospitality House is a "home away from home" for family members of out-of-town patients who face the added stress of traveling during a loved one's hospitalization. The facility is also available for patients and their caregivers who must provide their own lodging during outpatient treatments and procedures.
Munson Manor offers 30 rooms that can accommodate up to 54 people, including two RV pads with connections. It is located behind Munson Medical Center at 1220 Medical Campus Drive (corner of Brook Street).
Physician Education Munson Medical Center provides continuing medical education opportunities to physicians in the region. Educational presentations bring cutting edge techniques to the service providers. Dollars given to this fund are used to pay honorariums and travel expenses to outside speakers for conferences and workshops located in northern Michigan.
EVENT SPONSORSHIPS
Sponsorships for events are available. For more information, contact the Munson Healthcare Regional Foundation at (231) 935-6482 or toll-free 1-866-927-6482, or Paul Oliver Memorial Foundation at (231) 352-2266.
Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital Auxiliary Events
Snow Ball (auxiliary holiday charity ball) December 1, 2007
25th Annual Tour of Interesting Places (home tour first week of August 2008)
Talk Fest Series (a speaker in June, July, and August 2008)
13th Annual POMH Auxiliary Golf Event (end of May 2008)
West Shore Medical Center Events
Art on the Bluffs (early August 2008)
To donate to any of these areas of need or for more information, please call the Munson Healthcare Regional Foundation at (231) 935-6482 or toll-free 1-866-927-6482, or Paul Oliver Memorial Foundation at (231) 352-2266.
If you are a Munson Healthcare patient and have a compliment,
concern, or complaint, please contact one of our Patient
Liaisons.
