Petoskey Mich. – Feb. 4, 2009 – Northern Michigan Regional Health System, Mackinac Straits Hospital, Mackinac Island Medical Center, and the Beaver Island Rural Health Center today announced they are collaborating to build a resource-sharing network between providers of healthcare services. This partnership will maintain the independence of each organization, while enhancing the sharing of best practices and high quality resources that are not often attainable alone. Other entities of Mackinac Straits Hospital, including the healthcare facilities in Naubinway and Bois Blanc Island, will also benefit from this newly formed network, providing coordinated access to high-quality specialty care for residents and visitors of remote and rural environments.

“The goal of this partnership is to position the organizations for continued success in the delivery of high quality patient care in an increasingly more difficult economic environment,” said Wendy Walker, MD, Northern Michigan Regional Health System Board Chair. “As the closest provider of advanced care not available locally, Northern Michigan Regional Health System will continue to improve referral, transfer, and information flow processes, and work to meet the service expectations of all regional providers.”

he physicians of Northern Michigan Regional Health System have had a longstanding tradition of providing specialty care to residents and visitors of Mackinac County and the surrounding area, and this relationship will only strengthen this offering by the increased ability to identify specific community needs and provide additional specialty services to the area.

Ron Mitchell, Mackinac Straits Hospital Board Chair, stated, “The benefits of this partnership will include the provision of high quality, coordinated care, non-duplication of patient testing, utilization of shared information and clinical technology, collaboration on quality improvement efforts, and reduced cost of purchasing materials

According to Connie Wojan, Board Chair of the Beaver Island Rural Health Center, “Seamless access to specialty care is critical to our population. Through unanimous vote, our Board has approved a Memorandum of Understanding to pave the way for a more formalized affiliation in March. We look forward to the enhanced specialty care access this network provides.” Margaret Doud, Chair of the Mackinac Island Medical Center and Island Mayor echoed those sentiments. “Our residents and visitors now have the assurance that proven processes are in place to treat their illnesses or injuries using a coordinated network of local healthcare providers.”

Northern Michigan Regional Health System is a non-profit organization that provides specialized care to residents in 22 counties throughout northern Michigan and the eastern part of the Upper Peninsula. The flagship of Northern Michigan Regional Health System is Northern Michigan Regional Hospital, a 243-bed, regional referral center located in Petoskey with a medical staff of nearly 200 physicians representing nearly all medical and surgical specialties, enabling full-service care with an emphasis on heart, cancer, orthopedics, and neuroscience services. Other Health System affiliates include Northern Michigan Regional Hospital Foundation, Hospice of Little Traverse Bay, Boulder Park Terrace, VitalCare, The Living Room, and the Community Free Clinic.

Straits Hospital is a non-profit organization dedicated to meeting the healthcare needs of those individuals visiting or residing in and around the Mackinac Straits area. With the goal of maintaining and improving the quality of life for patients, Mackinac Straits Hospital provides emergency, general medical, referral, on-site skilled nursing services, and operates a 60-bed long term care facility. Mackinac Straits Hospital also operates the Mackinac Island Medical Center, staffed with clinical professionals 365 days per year and served by Allied EMS. Other entities of Mackinac Straits Hospital include the health centers in Naubinway and Bois Blanc Island.

Island Rural Health Center is a modern medical facility designed to treat residents, visitors, and guests of the Island. A Nurse Practitioner and Physicians Assistant stationed on the Island serve as the principal healthcare providers in many areas including primary care, disease prevention, and counseling. Beaver Island Rural Health Center is the only Health Center in the state of Michigan substantially funded by a local tax millage.

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