The Sisters of Mercy have served the healthcare needs of the people of Western North Carolina since their arrival in Asheville in 1900. Today, we provide the people of Asheville, Buncombe County and surrounding counties with medical care and physical therapy at our not-for-profit facilities. To date, we have served more than a million patients in the WNC region.

For 25 years, the Sisters of Mercy Urgent Care centers have provided evaluation and treatment of injuries and illnesses of a non-life-threatening nature to the general public on a walk-in basis. Our centers also provide medical care to the employees of over 70 percent of all businesses and industries in Buncombe County.

A fifth Urgent Care center opened in Brevard, North Carolina on September 10, 2009.

Our organization also takes health care directly into the workplace and correctional institutions through Health Designs, our occupational medicine division.

Our Organizations

Urgent Care - Medical care for non-life-threatening injuries and illness
Five Sisters of Mercy Urgent Care centers provide evaluation and treatment of non-life-threatening injuries and illnesses to the men, women and children of the region regardless of their ability to pay. The Urgent Care Centers serve more people than any other facility of their type in Western North Carolina, with over 67,000 patient visits last year.

Health Designs - On-site medical care for business and industry
Sisters of Mercy physicians and nurses take health care into the workplace and correctional institutions through Health Designs, our occupational medicine division. Last year Health Designs engaged in over 135,000 occupational patient interactions, serving over 1,000 businesses and industries as well as inmates and offenders at local jails and juvenile detention centers.

Catherine McAuley MERCY Foundation - Supports the mission and ministry of the Sisters of
Mercy in the community through contributions and investments
The Catherine McAuley MERCY Foundation, launched in 2006, is a community benefit organization founded by the Sisters of Mercy. The foundation is named after Catherine McAuley, who established the Sisters of Mercy in 1827.

Mountain Health Contracting Services, Inc.
Mountain Health Contracting Services, Inc. is a general contracting and development firm established in 1985 under Mountain Health Services, Inc.. From its inception, Mountain Health Contracting Services has built its client base and reputation on a solid foundation of service, quality and value. Today, after more than 20 years of serving the medical community, they are focusing on their affordable housing mission and directing their attention to their own facility needs.

Last year over 100,000 patient visits/encounters took place at Sisters of Mercy Services Corporation healthcare facilities in North Carolina.

Committed to Core Values: A Note on 2009 from Tim Johnston, President and CEO

2009 has been a year of ongoing change as Sisters of Mercy Services Corporation has adapted to meet the needs of our time in one of the most challenging economic periods faced by our organization and the healthcare industry. This past year, we elected to return to our roots and our core mission of delivering urgent care and occupational/industrial medicine services to those in our community. To that end, we have taken several steps to ensure improved access to quality care to those who need it most:

• Sisters of Mercy Urgent Care and administrative offices moved into our newly constructed facility located at 1201 Patton Avenue. This new 15,000 sq. ft. building increased the clinical space for patient care by 20% over the former UC-West facility on Leicester Highway, and provides improved access with its location at a stoplight intersection in one of the highest traffic count/population dense areas in WNC.
• We acquired a new urgent care center from a community hospital in one of our neighboring counties. This new center, located in Arden on Airport Road, opened its doors as a Sisters of Mercy Urgent Care facility in April.
• Sisters of Mercy Urgent Care initiated the development of a new urgent care center in Brevard, NC. This center will be the first service of its kind offered in Transylvania County. Renovation on the new facility began this summer in preparation for its opening this fall.
• Finally, we’ve committed to a new location for our South Asheville urgent care center. The new UC-South facility will be constructed on Hendersonville Road, and will replace the current location occupied by Sisters of Mercy Urgent Care for over 20 years. Our anticipated move-in date is late 2009 or early 2010.

We’re here for you… Next year, Sisters of Mercy Urgent Care will celebrate 25 years of providing affordable care for injuries and illnesses to Asheville and the surrounding communities. 2010 also marks the 110th Anniversary of service to the Asheville area by the Sisters of Mercy ministry.

Tim Johnston, President and CEO

2010 Strategic Goals

1. Selection and implementation of an electronic medical record system
2. Submission of application for SOMUC accreditation through the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)
3. Implementation of the marketing/branding plan developed by The Brite Agency
4. Establishment of new centers and expanded sustainable services to promote organizational growth

A Timeline of the Sisters of Mercy in Western North Carolina

• 1900: 18-bed tuberculosis sanitarium opens in Asheville.
• 1924: St. Joseph's Sanitarium expands to 95 beds on Biltmore Avenue.
• 1938: Sanitarium is converted to a general hospital.
• 1958: Madonna Wing opens, increasing capacity.
• 1972: Construction begins on an ultra-modern, 10-story hospital.
• 1974: New St. Joseph's Hospital opens.
• 1979: Mountain Health Services is incorporated.
• 1985: Sisters of Mercy Services Corporation acquires first Urgent Care facility.
• 1998: St. Joseph's Hospital is sold to Memorial Mission Medical Center.
  Mission St. Joseph's Health System is formed.
• 2000: Sisters of Mercy celebrates 100 years of service in Western North Carolina.
• 2002: First affordable house is built and sold.
• 2005: 445 Biltmore Center, St. Joseph's Convent and surrounding acreage are sold.
• 2006: New convent is opened. Second affordable house is built and sold.
• 2007: Groundbreaking at 1201 Patton Avenue, site of upcoming Urgent Care West and corporate offices.
• 2008: Construction completed at 1201 Patton Avenue.
• 2009: New 15,000 square foot Urgent Care and corporate offices opened at 1201 Patton Avenue.
  New Urgent Care facility opened at 77 Airport Road.
• 2009: UC-Brevard, opening in the fall, added to the current UC network.
• 2010: UC-South will relocate to a newly constructed facility with street frontage located at 1833 Hendersonville Road.

Making a Difference in Our Community

Some of the community partners that SOMSC participates with include:

• American Cancer Society “Relay for Life”
• Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce
• Catholic Social Services Ministries
• National Kidney Foundation of North Carolina “Western North Carolina Kidney Walk”
• Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
• March of Dimes “March for Babies”
• Martin Luther King Prayer Breakfast
• Meals on Wheels “Lunch Bunch” & “Wheel Ride for Food”
• Mission Children’s Hospital “Kids Against Hunger”
• United Way Campaign & “Day of Caring”
• Helpmate Domestic Violence Agency

Helpful Links about the Sisters of Mercy

Sisters of Mercy of the Americas South Central Community
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas
Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Foundation

Sisters of Mercy Services Corporation
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