Ozaukee News Graphic

Grafton picked for regional hospital

Ozaukee News Graphic, August 2, 2007

By Ed Zagorski
News Graphic Staff

Grafton Advanced Healthcare of Glendale and Aurora Health Care of Milwaukee announced Tuesday that the two will merge their organizations and build a hospital near Interstate 43 and Highway 60 in Grafton.

Integration is really about putting the patient in a position of better care. We believe over time we can drive costs down, said Nick Turkal, chief executive officer of Aurora Health Care.

Turkal elaborated on the announcement during a press conference held at Grafton Village Hall.

Our two organizations make a wonderful match, he said. We both put the patient at the center of all we do. We share very similar visions and values, and were both committed to continually improving quality and finding new ways to make health care more efficient and effective.
Turkal refused to elaborate on the terms related to the affiliation agreement between the entities.

However, Turkal said several sites for the project are under consideration, but no cost estimates on the proposed construction were available Tuesday.

Dr. Eugene Monroe, president of Advanced Healthcare, expressed his pleasure for the affiliation agreement.

We could not be more excited about this, Monroe said. Together we will be able to do much more for our patients, improving quality and controlling the cost of care. Its the combination of quality and cost that defines true value in health care.

Monroe said the affiliation of Advanced Healthcare and Aurora Health Care brings together two physician-led organizations that are committed to leading change in health care.

Dr. William Ebinger, an internist with Cedar Creek Clinic in Grafton, told reporters Tuesday he looks forward to the new regional hospital.

Grafton has a plan a vision of where it wants to go, he said.

With this announcement we are participants in that plan.

James Brunnquell, Grafton village president, said his community continues to grow at rapid pace and the hospital will be a welcomed entity.

Weve been very excited with the growth weve been experiencing, he said. Weve experienced it in the retail sector and the residential areas of our village. And health care plays a vital part in a communitys growth. Todays announcement only makes us more pleased.

Advanced Healthcare and Aurora Health Care began discussing the agreement last fall, and the two organizations boards of directors and the physician shareholders of Advanced Healthcare approved the agreement through a vote in July, according to a statement released Tuesday.

Under the agreement, the leadership team at Advanced Healthcare will remain intact and continue to oversee all of the operations of the 14 Advanced Healthcare clinics with approximately 250 primary care physicians and specialists.

The clinics are located in Brookfield, Germantown, Glendale, Grafton, Hubertus, Menomonee Falls, Mequon, Milwaukee, New Berlin, Port Washington and Wauwatosa.