Joseph McDonald

At Catholic Health, our continuum of care doesn’t just save lives – it helps make your life easier.

When you go to the supermarket, or the drugstore, or the bank, you know what kind of experience to expect. But when you go to the hospital, you can feel like you’ve been thrown into a maze.
At Catholic Health, we see something wrong with this picture. And instead of waiting for health care reform to make things better, we’ve taken proactive steps to ensure that people receive the best, most streamlined and cost-effective care in the region.

At the core of this effort is our continuum of care, a seamless integration of programs and services across carefully designed service lines, which include cardiac, neurovascular and women’s services. By ensuring that all our patients receive the same high-quality care, no matter where they enter our network, Catholic Health delivers superior care and service, along with peace of mind.

For example, we provide the highest quality cardiac care in the region, with The Heart Center at Mercy Hospital of Buffalo setting the standard. Mercy Hospital continues to be recognized for excellence by the leading authorities in health care, including consumer reports and the New York State Department of Health.

When it comes to stroke, every second counts. Our Stroke And Vascular Services are second to none, with three designated stroke centers – more than any other area provider. This means the most advanced stroke care is close by and available 24/7, giving patients the best chance at recovery.

An unparalleled dedication to women’s services is defined by the broad spectrum of Catholic Health services created with women’s unique needs in mind. Services include everything from prenatal and maternity services to mammography, bone densitometry and endocrinology treatment.

Our Certified Community Cancer Center at Sisters of Charity Hospital was recognized for quality oncology care by the american college of surgeons commission on cancer. And our continuing care and home care services ensure patients receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time. Whether its long-term or subacute care, medical or outpatient rehabilitation, or professional or personal care at home, Catholic Health has programs and services our community needs.

When we aren’t treating patients in one of our hospitals or health centers, we are hitting the road traveling to sites throughout Western New York bringing valuable health and wellness services to people throughout our community.

Through our Mission on the Move mobile health program, we visit churches, schools, senior centers, shopping malls and other community gatherings offering free health screenings and important health education to people who might not otherwise have access to these valuable services.

Mission on the Move nurses provide free diabetes, cholesterol and bone densitometry screenings to thousands of people annually. Our nurses not only offer the screenings, but also identify people with serious health concerns and provide one-on-one health counseling and referral information to link at-risk individuals with the follow-up care they need.

This is just one example of how Catholic Health is reaching out in our community. During 2011, Mission on the Move expects to perform over 8,000 health screenings, many in underserved areas where people have limited access to care, fulfilling Catholic Health’s mission to serve those in need. In some cases, our nurses are the first health practitioners these people have seen in years.

All of this, plus the top-notch customer service provided by our HealthConnection health information and physician referral service is giving patients an alternative to the maze – a clear path to wellness at Catholic Health.

Joseph McDonald is president and chief executive officer of Catholic Health.