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2003 Highlights
During 2002, Carondelet Health witnessed the fruition of many years
of hard work and planning with the opening of a number of new services
and facilities.
In January, the ribbon was cut on the Medical Mall at St. Mary's
Hospital of Blue Springs, a 90,000 square foot outpatient facility
and new entrance to the hospital. An April grand opening gathered
400 attendees- including keynote speaker former University of Missouri
basketball coach Norm Stewart- to celebrate a new era of health
care in the communities of Eastern Jackson County.
On the heels of the Medical Mall's opening, construction was well
underway for the expansion of the Emergency Department at St. Mary's
Hospital, which doubled the size of the ER and increased private
exam rooms from eight to 18.
In the midst of construction progress, Carondelet Health remained
busy with community events and fundraisers. In February, the Carondelet
Heart Institute's Heart Expo provided more than 200 participants
with free cholesterol screenings, cardiac risk consultations, blood
sugar analysis and much more. A few weeks later, the April Air Fair
offered those with asthma, allergies and pulmonary disease many
tools they needed to achieve optimal health. A June health fair
in St. Mary's Hospital's new medical mall provided free cholesterol,
skin cancer and osteoporosis screenings as well as stress reducing
massages.
While community outreach efforts flourished, the Carondelet Health
Foundations and Auxiliaries were busy raising funds to support expansion
efforts. St. Mary's Hospital's Spring Celebration and its 400 guests
raised $80,000 for the Emergency Department project. Saint Joseph
Health Center's Health Food and Good Wine brought in nearly $75,000
for medical equipment and community health care needs.
In June, Carondelet Health announced its intention to partner with
Ascension Health, the nation's largest Catholic health system, with
more than 60 hospitals in 15 states and the District of Columbia.
The St. Mary's Hospital Foundation and Auxiliary once again swung
into action with the St. Mary's Hospital Golf Classic in July, which
raised more than $60,000 for the
Emergency Department Expansion. In August, Alex George Golf Tournament
celebrated its 15th year and raised nearly $123,000 for Saint Joseph
Health Center.
During the summer, Saint Joseph Health Center opened the Discharge
Center, creating a comfortable place for patients to wait for their
ride home. A licensed practical nurse and nurse assistant review
educational materials, help fulfill prescriptions and assist with
just about anything else a patient needs until transportation arrives.
 Summertime
also brought the launching of CH2Work, a health promotion program
for companies seeking to reduce costs and give employees an added
benefit. The program offers an employee wellness inventory, health
risk assessments, electronic health newsletters, wellness resources,
planning guides and incentive programs.
In addition to the partnership between Carondelet Health and area
employers, Carondelet Health's Well*Life program teamed up with
the Blue Springs School District to provide community education
classes. Cooking, weight management and smoking cessation classes
are just a few of the classes now being offered through this collaboration.
Among the many celebrations in 2002, Carondelet Health recognized
two employees and two physicians for their outstanding service and
dedication. At St. Mary's Hospital of Blue Springs, Lillian Ratcliff
and at Saint Joseph Health Center, Ginny Klein, RN, BSN were named
Employees of the Year. Walter Bender, MD at Saint Joseph Health
Center and Bob Green, MD at St. Mary's Hospital were recognized
as Physicians of the Year for their incomparable commitment to their
profession.
 Things
did not slow down for Carondelet Health at the end of 2002. During
the fall, Carondelet Health opened the Carondelet Heart Institute
at Saint Joseph Health Center. This "hospital within a hospital"
expanded cardiac care services and included a heart screening program
that helps find potential problems before symptoms occur. To date,
nearly 200 people have experienced the Personal Heart Advocate Heart
Disease Risk Screening Clinic.
In addition, St. Mary's Hospital enhanced its cardiac care with
the creation of a support group. Participants have benefited from
programs on hypertension, nutrition and spiritual care.
In October, Saint Joseph Health Center hosted for the first time
a new event for women. The World of Women's Health Expo wowed its
audience of more than 300 with bone density screenings, massages,
makeovers, a fashion show and breakout sessions on child rearing,
menopause, sleep disorders and self-defense.
In November, St. Mary's Hospital finished off a great year with
the opening of its Emergency Room expansion offering more exam rooms,
a dedicated x-ray area and a covered ER entrance large enough to
accommodate three ambulances.
In December, Carondelet Health completed the paperwork on its partnership
with Ascension Health. Both systems share similar mission and values
and by working together and combining resources, the partnership
helps insure the ability to provide high quality, compassionate,
Catholic health care to the people of Kansas City and Eastern Jackson
County. This  message
continues to be conveyed by Sister Rosemary Flanigan and by a new
spokesperson, Sister Margaret Vincent, who will be visible in advertising
in 2003. Sister Margaret Vincent replaced Sister Mary Kay Hadican
who left Kansas City to serve in a leadership position within the
Sisters of St. Joseph Province based in St. Louis.
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