Mercy Medical Center volunteers receive Wisconsin Award for Volunteer Excellence
11 / 15 / 2011
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Maria Nelson, Media Relations
Affinity Health System
(920) 720-1752
(920) 554-0686 (pager)
Oshkosh, Wis. - The Mercy Medical Center volunteer organization has been awarded with a Wisconsin Award for Volunteer Excellence (WAVE) from the Partners of the Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA).
The award, which was presented last month, acknowledges outstanding contributions of organized hospital volunteer programs. Mercy’s volunteer program was recognized for its childrens' vision screening program in the category of community outreach and/or collaboration.
Mercy’s group of 28 volunteers, in conjunction with the Prevent Blindness Wisconsin organization, participate in the Children’s Screening Services (CSS) program, which provides vision screening to Oshkosh-area preschools, day cares, and parochial and public schools. Last year they screened 1,333 students for general vision, depth perception and color blindness. The volunteers also screen at events like the Oshkosh Back to School Fair, as well as give demonstrations on proper hand washing to teach children the importance of preventing the spread of infections.
Photo from left to right: Karry VandenHeuvel, Margaret Perrie, Bill Calhoun, Sheree Schaefer, Amy Brownson, Peg Larson, Mark Schaefer, Patti Calhoun
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For the Editor:
Affinity Health System, a faith-based regional health care network, is the Fox Valley’s second-largest employer, according to the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce & Industry. For the fourth consecutive year, Affinity has been named one of the nation’s top 64 health systems based on clinical performance according to Thomson Reuters, a leading provider of information and solutions to improve the cost and quality of health care. For ten consecutive years, Affinity Health System has been named to the SDI (formerly Verispan) Integrated Health Network Top 100, an annual assessment of the 100 most highly integrated health care networks in the nation. Both St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton and Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh rank among the top 1 percent of 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 has been nationally ranked in the Top 50 Health Insurance Plans for five consecutive years in 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 Foundation, Appleton; Affinity Medical Group, a regional network of 26 family practice and specialty clinics – 23 of which are recognized as NCQA Level III medical homes, the highest level of recognition – in 14 communities; Calumet Medical Center, Chilton; Network Health Plan, Menasha; and Affinity Occupational Health.