The Summer newsletter is finally complete! Download the latest Mercy Matters newsletter in PDF format here.

Feel free to send newsworthy items to Sharon Owen (sharon@somsc.org) and any comments or suggestions on the new Mercy Matters design to Lauren Brown (lbrown@somsc.org).

Want to read about the latest goings-on within the Sisters of Mercy Services Corporation? Download the latest Mercy Matters newsletter in PDF format here.

Sisters of Mercy Staff Celebrated at Company Picnic
Monday, October 15, 2007
(Additional pictures added Wednesday, October 17, 2007)

The Sisters of Mercy Services Corporation Staff Picnic, held on October 6 at the Eliada Recreation Center, proved to be an exciting day of food, fellowship, music and fun activities for staff and their guests. Local star musicians The Lawmen provided musical entertainment for those socializing, dining and dancing, while balloon-tying clowns offered their amusements to the children who attended.

A warm thank you goes out to the Picnic Committee -- Kelilyn Bell, Donna Bruce, Sherrie Byrd, Anna Elliott, Cheryl Fore, Betsy Katell, Jennifer Magee, Michelle McCoy, and Sharon Owen -- for their hard work in making this picnic a success.

To view a larger version of any picture, simply click on it.

Nora Sheehan, Dr. Ellen Lawson and Rose Spittle enjoy the fun,
food and a lively balloon hat from the clowns.

Brenda Chapman, Tanya Britton, Betsy Katell and John Williams
relax to local musical icons The Lawmen.

Lauren Brown lounges with her father Terry and her boyfriend
Kevin.

Will and Linda Hamilton take a break from dancing.

Dr. Shannon Dowler watches the children's balloon-sword fight.

Paul Tax stands proudly with wife Penelope and four of their five
children.

Ann Cook and Betsy Katell are all grins for the camera.

Michelle McCoy’s father, Dale (far right), leads band The Lawmen.

Donna Bruce's son, Jordan, shows his spirit by wearing the Sisters
of Mercy colors of blue and white.

Children enjoy bubbles and colorful balloon hats.

A clown shares a laugh with (from left) Pat, Sydney and Derrick
Jackson as Dwayne Maxwell looks on.

Grant and Kelilyn Bell share the spotlight.

Chayce Blevins and Grant Bell are happy with their balloon creations.

Staff and their guests enjoy the food prepared for the picnic.

Paul Gilliam (left) and Brian Warren (center) relax with their friends.

A pre-food bingo game is led by caller Brian Warren (left).

(Click on image for full-size version.)

Sisters of Mercy Services Corporation officials and local dignitaries gathered in West Asheville on Wednesday, Sept. 12, to break ground at the site of the company’s new Urgent Care West facility.

The 15,000-square-foot, $3-million facility is being constructed at 1201 Patton Ave., the site of the former Cancun Restaurant and one block west of the current Urgent Care location. The current Urgent Care West facility will remain open until the new complex is completed, which is estimated to be in June 2008.

“This is an exciting time for our organization,” says Shana Duncan, executive director of Sisters of Mercy Urgent Care. “The new location is more convenient for our patients, and it will give us the extra space we need to continue to provide the best health care service in the Asheville community.”

Urgent Care services will be located on the first floor of the new facility, with business and administrative offices for Asheville-based Sisters of Mercy Services Corporation on the second floor. The architectural firm of Bowers, Ellis & Watson of Asheville designed the facility, and Mountain Health Contracting is the contractor.

“Sisters of Mercy has been a valuable health care provider in West Asheville for nearly a quarter of a century, and we’re pleased to be upgrading our facilities in that area,” says Tim Johnston, president and CEO of Sisters of Mercy Services. “Our first priority is our patients; the new center underscores our renewed commitment of offering high quality, affordable and easily accessible health care.”

In operation since 1980, Sisters of Mercy Urgent Care has more than 100 employees at three facilities in Buncombe County, N.C., including the current Urgent Care West location at 8 New Leicester Highway, Asheville. Urgent Care North is located in the Roses shopping center at 155 Weaver Blvd., Weaverville, N.C.; and Urgent Care South, which includes the Health Designs occupational health division, is in the Kmart shopping center at 1812 Hendersonville Road, Asheville. All Urgent Care centers are open from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. on weekdays and from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. on weekends.

The Sisters of Mercy established a ministry in Asheville, N.C., in 1900 to meet the needs of people at that time. Their ministries now provide a variety of services to care for people in need today.

“Our ministries have always been about caring for the people of our community,” says Sister Maria Goretti, who serves as director of mission and values, staff and patient chaplain, and director of volunteers for Sisters of Mercy Services. “As we continue to grow, I’m pleased – for our patients, staff and volunteers – that a new, larger Urgent Care facility is opening in the West Asheville area.”

In addition to the Urgent Care division, Sisters of Mercy Services operates ARP/Phoenix, a comprehensive substance abuse assessment, treatment and prevention provider. Mountain Health Contracting, Inc. is a division of Sisters of Mercy Services that provides general contracting services to medical and business establishments in the Asheville area.

McAuley Foundation, the former St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation, was established as a non-profit 501(c)(3) agency to support the mission and ministry of Sisters of Mercy in the Asheville area through the work of the Urgent Care centers.

(Click on image for full-size version.)

Facts on the New Urgent Care West:

• The new Urgent Care West will be a $3-million, 15,000-square-foot, two-story building.
• Estimated completion date is June 2008.
• Projected growth rate for Urgent Care West is 7 percent for fiscal year 2008 – translating to 22,134 visits.
• Urgent Care services will be located on the first floor; Sisters of Mercy Services Corporation administrative offices will be on the second floor.
• The facility was designed by Bowers, Ellis & Watson, an Asheville architectural firm.
• Mountain Health Contracting, a division of Sisters of Mercy Services Corporation, is the contractor for the project.

Want to read about the latest goings-on within the Sisters of Mercy Services Corporation? Download the latest Mercy Matters newsletter in PDF format here.

Board, Physicians, Staff & Community Members:

Today we completed the purchase of property at 1201 Patton Avenue, future site of the new Urgent Care West and business and administrative offices for Sisters of Mercy Services Corporation. Plans call for an 11,000-square-foot, two-story facility to be built one block west of the current Urgent Care, on the site of the former Cancun Restaurant. Construction on the facility is set to begin in June 2007, with an expected opening in early 2008.

This is an exciting time for our organization, and we look forward to many years of providing quality, compassionate, and efficient healthcare from the new Urgent Care West to the residents of Western Buncombe County. Special thanks to our Board, Ernie Peterson (Vice President, Mountain Health Services), Pat Jackson (Chief Financial Officer), Shana Duncan (Executive Director, Sisters of Mercy Urgent Care), Nora Sheehan (Director of Urgent Care West), Dr. David Bate (Medical Director, SOMUC), our physicians, and the staff for all of your hard work on this project.

Tim Johnston, CEO
Sisters of Mercy Services Corporation
March 22, 2007