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Health systems collaborate to help kids and teens

Affinity working with other local health systems to open pediatric behavioral health clinic

01 / 16 / 2008

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NEENAH--Affinity Health System, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin-Fox Valley and ThedaCare signed an agreement Jan. 15 to join forces to offer pediatric behavioral health services. The agreement is a first-of-its-kind collaboration between competing health care organizations in the fox Valley.

In a news conference at J.J. Keller & Associates Inc., Daniel E. Neufelder, president and chief executive officer of Affinity Health system; John Toussaint, MD, president and chief executive officer of ThedaCare; and Jon Vice, president and chief executive officer of Children's Hospital and Health System, pledged to work together to address a shortage of pediatric behavioral health services in the Fox Valley. According to the Fox Cities 2006 LIFE (Leading Indicators for Excellence) study, the region has more demand for pediatric behavioral services than current systems can accommodate.

According to the agreement, Chidlren's Hospital-Fox Valley will recruit at least two child and adolescent psychiatrists to the area, which will complement services already offered by Affinity, ThedaCare and Children's Service Society of Wisconsin (like Children's Hospital-Fox Valley, a member of Children's Hospital and Health System). At the same time, Affinity and ThedaCare agree to create a seamless insurance environment to help eliminate financial barriers to receiving care. The agreement also will establish a new behavioral health clinic, which will be located at the Goodwill Industries building near Highway 47 and Highway 441 in Menasha. It is expected to open in summer 2008.

"ThedaCare has a long history of collaborating with other providers when it makes sense for the community," said Toussaint. "Over the years, we have worked with Affinity to co-sponsor Gold Cross Ambulance and the Fox Cities Community Clinic, and with Children's Hospital and health System to bring Children's Hospital--Fox Valley to the Teda Clark Campus and to the people of the Fox Valley. This collaboration is especially important, because it engages our entire community in assuring that our children will have access to comprehensive behavioral health care in a way that none of us -- ThedaCare, Affinity or Children's Hospital -- could have accomplished independently."

"Fox Valley residents are fortunate that there are so many quality health care organizations here that are willing to work together to solve community issues," Neufelder said. "We're committed to working with Children's Hospital-Fox Valley and ThedaCare to bring additional behavioral health services that will promote the care of our children."

The clinic is likely to generate a $2.5 million operating loss over the next five years. Fundraising efforts have secured $2.25 million thanks to a $625,000 matching grant from the John J. & Ethel D. Keller Donor Advised Fund in the Community Foundation, and a $500,000 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant. "The Fox Valley community has offered overwhelming financial support, for which we are very grateful," Vice said. "This positions the program to raise additional funds and expand the reach and scope of services in coming years."

Other major donors include Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Kimberly-Clark, U.S. Oil/Schmidt Family Foundation, United Way Fox Cities, the Frank C. Shattuck Community Fund and several other donors from within the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, Bassett mechanical, Crystal Print Foundation and Applebee's.

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For the Editor:
Affinity Health System, a Catholic mission-oriented regional health care network, is a partnership of Ministry Health Care and Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare. Affinity Health System is the Fox Valley’s third largest employer, according to the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and is ranked 24 among the top 100 integrated health care networks nationwide (Verispan 2008). Both St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton and Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh rank among the top 1 percent among hospitals nationwide in terms of quality and efficiency, as determined by the 2007 Premier | CareScience Select practice National Quality Award. Network Health Plan has achieved Excellent accreditation status from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), the highest possible level. It is ranked 37th among the 250 rated health plans in the nation in terms of customer satisfaction and clinical performance, according to the U.S. News and World Report/NCQA Best Health Plans in America listing. Members of Affinity include Mercy Medical Center and Mercy Health Foundation, Oshkosh; St. Elizabeth Hospital and the St. Elizabeth Hospital Community Foundation, Appleton; Affinity Medical Group, a regional network of 23 family practice and specialty clinics in 13 communities; Calumet Medical Center, Chilton; Network Health Plan, Menasha; and Affinity Occupational Health.