Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS) is pleased to announce the addition of HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital in Oconto Falls – formerly known as Community Memorial Hospital (CMH) – to its family as of Sept. 1, 2014.
HSHS, based in Springfield, Illinois is comprised of 14 hospitals – eight in Illinois and six in Wisconsin. St. Vincent Hospital and St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center in Green Bay, St. Nicholas Hospital in Sheboygan and now HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital in Oconto Falls, make up the HSHS Eastern Wisconsin Division. All are sponsored ministries of the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis. The hospitals work in partnership with Prevea Health across the region.
“Both HSHS and Community Memorial Hospital have a long tradition of providing high quality health care to those who seek healing. That dedication to caring for those in need is strengthened with CMH joining our health system as HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital,” said Mary Starmann-Harrison, President and CEO, HSHS. “St. Clare was a Franciscan saint who devoted her life to solitude, prayer and service. Her legacy reflects the commitment of our newest health care ministry to serve the residents in Oconto Falls and surrounding communities.”
The work of all hospitals within HSHS is guided by the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis, and rooted in the Catholic spirit and commitment of St. Francis of Assisi. St. Francis of Assisi devoted himself to caring for the poor and sick, inspiring the Franciscan movement. St. Clare of Assisi is considered by many to be a co-founder of the Franciscan movement.
“By joining Hospital Sisters Health System, we are creating the foundation upon which we will continue our mission of providing high quality health care close to home, well into the future,” said Dan DeGroot, Chief Operating Officer, HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital. “We are all truly excited about what this means for our organization and more importantly, what this means for the patients and families we will continue to serve for years to come.”
In May 2011, CMH and HSHS entered into an affiliation agreement in an effort to enhance physician recruitment, implement an electronic health record system and improve the delivery of health care. Now, as an official member of the HSHS Eastern Wisconsin Division family, St. Clare adopts the HSHS mission “to reveal and embody Christ’s healing love for all people through our high-quality Franciscan health care ministry.” The high quality care that patients have been accustomed to for more than 93 years in the Oconto Falls community remains.
“This is truly an historic event as HSHS has not added a hospital to their health system since 1987,” said Therese Pandl, President & CEO, HSHS Eastern Wisconsin Division. “We are delighted to have HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital in Oconto Falls join our family. We believe that through working closely together, we can improve the health care of our communities and we will be stronger serving together.”
HSHS Eastern Wisconsin Division also works in partnership with Prevea Health. Prevea provides hospitals within the Division access to more than 200 physicians in more than 50 specialty areas. Prevea health centers can be found in communities all across Northeast Wisconsin, as far north as Marinette to as far south as Oostburg. HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital, in affiliation with Prevea Health, has six regional health centers in Gillett, Lena, Mountain, Suring, Oconto and Oconto Falls.
“Prevea has a mission to provide high-quality health care close to home,” said Dr. Ashok Rai, President and CEO, Prevea Health. “Our partnership with HSHS St. Clare Memorial Hospital means more people living in the northern regions will have access to that.”