MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Fourteen physicians who have been part of Commonwealth Medical Group have announced that they plan to enhance the care and service they provide to their patients by joining Aurora Health Care.

“These are top-notch primary care physicians, and we are delighted they have decided to join our organization,” said Nick Turkal, M.D., Aurora’s president and chief executive officer. “We look forward to working with them to support their care of patients in the Milwaukee area.”

Scott Fenske, M.D., medical director of Commonwealth, noted that he and the other physicians have long worked with Aurora and refer most of their patients to Aurora hospitals.

“The resources and expertise available through Aurora is what we want for our patients,” Dr. Fenske said. “Aurora is a fully integrated health care provider unlike any other organization in Wisconsin. Working as part of Aurora, we will be able to better coordinate patient care across a broad range of excellent services.”

Dr. Fenske said that he and his colleagues were committed to provide the best quality care, and that Aurora’s achievements in clinical quality improvement were a significant factor in the physicians’ decision.

In June, the federal government’s Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released the results of the third and final year of a groundbreaking pay-for-performance quality demonstration project, showing Aurora Health Care to be the top-performing health system in the nation. Aurora’s hospitals were top performers in 40 of the 47 quality areas measured, the most of any system.

Aurora also is a leader in finding better ways to control the cost of care. A study released in May by the Pewaukee-based health care consulting firm Benefit Services Group Inc. determined that Aurora is the most cost efficient hospital system in the Milwaukee area with a cost efficiency, measured per member per month, that is nine percent below the community average.

“We are proud of what we are achieving for our patients and the communities we serve,” Dr. Turkal said. “We’re also pleased that our innovative approach to providing health care is attracting so many excellent physicians to our organization.”

The 14 Commonwealth physicians will practice as part of Aurora Advanced Healthcare. The physicians are:

• Jeffrey Aldred, M.D., internal medicine
• Richard Basile, M.D., internal medicine
• Thomas Brand, M.D., internal medicine
• Robert Brueggeman, M.D., internal medicine and pediatrics
• Ronald Cohen, M.D., internal medicine
• Stephen Desidero, M.D., internal medicine
• Cheryl Dominski, M.D., internal medicine and pediatrics
• Scott Fenske, M.D., internal medicine
• Margaret Leonhardt, M.D., family practice
• Dennis Mannino, M.D., internal medicine
• Malaika Mathai, M.D., internal medicine
• Brian McSorley, M.D., family practice
• Dale Schaper, M.D., internal medicine
• Mark Skier, M.D., internal medicine

The 14 physicians serve patients from clinics in Milwaukee, Greenfield, Franklin, Hales Corners and New Berlin. All but one of the physicians will remain in their current locations. Dr. Leonhardt will move her practice Sept. 1 from Hales Corners to Aurora Advanced Healthcare’s High Pointe Clinic at 12901 W. National Ave. in New Berlin.

Patients of the 14 physicians will receive a letter from their doctor’s office informing them of the change. Patients who have questions are encouraged to call the clinic where their physician practices.

Aurora Health Care is a not-for-profit health care provider and a nationally recognized leader in efforts to improve the quality of health care. Aurora offers services at sites in more than 90 communities throughout eastern Wisconsin.

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Contact: Jeff Squire (414-647-3408)