October 13, 2009

Big City Medicine Comes to Grayling
Welcome to the new Mercy: New physicians and a multi-million dollar renovation are bringing the most up-to-date medical advances to our town. In celebration, the public is invited to meet the “new” Mercy Hospital Grayling on Thursday, October 22 from 4-7 pm

A $14 million, multi-year investment in rural health care has come to fruition, marking the end of a long, community-wide effort and a beginning to a new era in technology, efficiency, and patient care for Mercy Hospital Grayling.

Mercy Grayling now offers the latest technology available in a rural hospital setting while improving operational efficiency. In addition to prioritizing technology, the hospital recruited new physicians and recently added a new sleep lab to diagnose and treat sleep disorders.

“We are committed to being the region’s premier provider of healthcare services,” said Stephanie Riemer-Matuzak, CEO of Mercy Hospital Grayling. “Our new services, technology and physicians have helped us create the hospital of tomorrow.”

The renovations were completed in three phases. Phase one included the surgical suites, ambulatory surgery, the Maternal and Newborn Center, Pharmacy and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Phase two was a complete renovation of the Emergency Department, including 15 private treatment rooms and two trauma rooms.

The third renovation, completed this fall, added a new front entrance, registration and waiting areas, chapel, nuclear medicine, specialty/cardiology clinic space, respiratory care and radiology suite (including digital mammography, ultrasound, bone density and 64-slice CT).

Once again the community is showing strong support for Mercy Hospital Grayling and the renovation through generous donations from area businesses, families, nonprofit organizations, seasonal residents and visitors. Donations towards the third phase of the renovation are still being accepted.

Physical changes were not the only priority: The recruitment of high quality physicians was a primary objective during this time of change as well. A total of five new providers were successfully recruited in the past months to serve primary care needs in Grayling, Roscommon and Prudenville.

Other physician changes included a new hospitalist partnership. Sound Inpatient Physicians, Inc., a leading hospitalist company, now provides 10 full-time equivalent physicians who will coordinate a patient's care during an inpatient stay at a hospital.

“The advent of a quality hospitalist program means nothing but consistent, patient-centered care,” said Riemer-Matuzak. “We are delighted with the Sound partnership because physicians who might not otherwise are now coming to rural north-central Michigan.”

The open house will be held Thursday, October 22 from 4-7 pm and will showcase the extensive renovations. Many of the new physicians, including Mercy Grayling Specialists and Sound Inpatient hospitalists, will be on hand to meet and greet the community. Appetizers and refreshments will be provided.



About Mercy Hospital Grayling and Trinity Health
Mercy Hospital Grayling is a 49 bed acute-care hospital serving north central Michigan that also includes a separate 40-bed skilled nursing facility, an extensive ambulatory (outpatient) facility and a medical staff of nearly 100 providers. Mercy Hospital Grayling’s annual benefit to the surrounding community is more than $5.5 million. Donations towards the renovation can be made by contacting Teresa Money, Development Director for Mercy Hospital Grayling at (989) 348-0433.

Mercy is owned by Trinity Health, the fourth-largest Catholic health care system in the country. Based in Novi, Mich., Trinity Health operates 45 acute-care hospitals, 379 outpatient facilities, 26 long-term care facilities, and numerous home health offices and hospice programs in seven states. Employing 46,000 full-time staff, Trinity Health reported $6.4 billion in unrestricted revenue and $376 million in community benefits in fiscal year 2008. For more information about Trinity Health, visit www.trinity-health.org.

Contact:  Contact Carrie Gray
Director of Marketing and Communications
(989) 348-0594
cgray4@trinity-health.org