June 14^th, 2002

Contact:      Jennifer Kurczek
      Community Relations Director

      (920)361-5481 or jkurczek@partnershealth.org

 Berlin Memorial Hospital, Wild Rose Hospital to utilize

The Community Blood Center for patient blood supply beginning July 1^st

 

Berlin Memorial Hospital and Wild Rose Community Memorial Hospital will begin a new relationship with The Community Blood Center of Appleton starting July 1^st.

 

With this new affiliation, The Community Blood Center will supply 100-percent of blood and blood components to both hospitals and work with local organizations to host blood drives in the community.

 

“We believe our relationship with The Community Blood Center will improve the delivery of patient care at Berlin Memorial Hospital and Wild Rose Community Memorial Hospital,” said Barbara J. Larson, Vice President of Operations for both hospitals. “Because the Center is locally-based, donations received during blood drives are returned to the community hospitals right here in our area. This ensures that we are able to maintain lower costs for our patients – a priority objective in a time of rising healthcare costs.”

 

From a financial perspective, Larson indicated that the Berlin and Wild Rose hospitals had experienced between 70- and 100-percent cost increases for blood products when working with the American Red Cross as their blood supplier, and she expected additional cost increases in 2002-3.

 

The Community Blood Center, a locally-based, not-for-profit organization, is already the exclusive blood supplier for Appleton Medical Center, St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton, Theda Clark Medical Center in Neenah, Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh and Riverside Medical Center in Waupaca. The Center is equipped with two state-of-the-art, self-contained mobile collection units used to host blood drives in virtually any location.

 

“Area residents can play a very active role toward meeting our community’s blood needs. Local donors giving blood with the organization that serves their local hospital help ensure that blood is available when needed,” Larson said. “As our new blood provider, The Community Blood Center will begin holding drives throughout the area later this summer. We invite local business, church, school and civic group leaders to consider hosting a blood drive at their respective organizations.”

 

Groups interested in hosting a blood drive are asked to contact the Donor Resources Department at The Community Blood Center by calling (920)738-3131 or toll-free at 1-800-280-4102.

 

Working in partnership with Wild Rose Community Memorial Hospital, Berlin Memorial Hospital is a member of Community Health Network, which includes, CHN Home Care, Juliette Manor, Juliette Terrace, Partners Family Pharmacy, Proformance Fitness & Rehabilitation, Proformance Workplace Services, Senior Care, and the CHN Medical group, consisting of more than 110 multi-specialty providers serving nearly 20 community clinics serving the Green Lake, Fond du Lac, Marquette, and Waushara county region.