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Mercy Health Foundation announces 2008 projects

11 / 26 / 2007

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OSHKOSH, Wis. – The Mercy Health Foundation is committed to raise $766,276 in 2008 to support health projects that will benefit Mercy Medical Center patients and the greater Oshkosh community.

The lead philanthropy project will bring digital mammography to the Phyllis Leach Breast Center at Mercy. The estimated cost is $398,500. “The Board of Trustees recognized the importance of having this state-of-the-art technology available locally to aid in the early diagnosis of breast cancer,” said Vicki Schorse, Mercy Health Foundation director. “The five-year survival rate for breast cancer is 98 percent when it is found early and is localized.”

Digital mammography takes mammogram screening for breast cancer out of the era of film and into the digital age. Images are immediately available on computer screen and can be manipulated to more clearly see specific areas of the breast. Digital mammography also requires a shorter exam time, reducing the discomfort some women experience during the procedure.

“Research shows that digital mammography is better at screening women who are under age 50, pre- or perimenopausal women of any age and women with dense breast tissue,” said Mike Binder, manager of Radiology Services at Mercy Medical Center.

Additional grants approved at the November meeting of the Mercy Health Foundation Board of Trustees include:

• $12,199 to the Fitness for the Physically Challenged Program at Mercy, which provides free supervised exercise on specially adapted equipment to 119 community residents with disabilities.
• $17,362 to the Passport 55 program at Mercy to help older adults deal with health insurance and obtain benefits to which they are entitled.
• $75,000 to the Living Healthy Community Clinic in Oshkosh. The clinic provides primary medical care to more than 700 uninsured Winnebago County residents each year.
• $75,000 to the Parent Connection program. This program provides home visitation services to high stress first-time parents to help promote improved health of the infant and successful parenting. The long-term goals of the program include reduction of child abuse and neglect in Winnebago County.
• $25,000 to the Tri County Community Dental Clinic to subsidize dental care to approximately 500 low income Oshkosh area residents, primarily children.

The Mercy Health Foundation is an affiliate of Affinity Health System serving Mercy medical Center, southern Winnebago County and the surrounding rural areas. Affinity, Mercy and the foundation are committed to providing the best possible health care to all who need it in the communities they serve. Mercy alone provided more than $1.7 million in charity care during 2007.

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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.