Message Boards Part of Rebranding at Waupaca Hospital and Clinic
This week visitors at Riverside Medical Center – soon to be renamed ThedaCare Medical Center-Waupaca – and ThedaCare Physicians-Waupaca will enjoy new colorful message boards that highlight stories from patients, providers and the community. Nearly two dozen boards, located in waiting rooms, hallways and gathering spaces such as the cafeteria, contain real life pictures of real people telling real stories.
The message boards are part of a organization-wide rebranding initiative launched by ThedaCare at the end of 2014. Outside signs with the new name and logo will be installed at the end of July.
For instance, Bryon, a car salesman, shares his story about the day he felt a tightness in his chest. He went to the emergency room, where he was immediately whisked away by ThedaStar to Appleton Medical Center. In his story, he praises the staff and doctors for saving his life. He also touts how lucky the Waupaca community is to have services close to home, like the cardiac rehabilitation services that have helped him gain control of his life.
Julie and Mike share their story about their desire to have their baby close to home in Waupaca rather than driving to a bigger hospital. And even though the baby had to be delivered by cesarean section, they did not have to leave the comfort and support of their Waupaca medical team. Instead, the couple tells how they felt they were in good hands in the small town hospital.
One more message board tells about ThedaCare employees volunteering in the Waupaca community. Kay Kraeger volunteers at the Waupaca Area Food Pantry. She enjoys sacrificing her time to see the faces of the people she is assisting. “It’s nice to be able to give them a helping hand when they need it the most,” she says on the message board.
Lastly, in her message board, Amy, a registered OR nurse at ThedaCare, illustrates how she turned to her fellow colleagues. While on a family vacation in Mexico, her daughter got a puncture on her leg. Although the local doctors stitched it up, her daughter still had issues the next day. Amy sent pictures of the wound to her those at the Waupaca hospital but then decided to get Scout on a plane and back home to Waupaca, and among familiar doctors and friends. She said they felt better being among doctors they knew and trusted. At a community hospital like Waupaca, patients are not just patients, she says. “They’re our friends and neighbors. That kind of familiarity puts everyone at ease.”
A message board is also being installed at ThedaCare Physicians-Iola. Dennis shares how, despite a long list of medical conditions, much of his treatments can be done locally. If not, he knows he is in good hands with ThedaCare. Heather Gruszymski, APNP, said Dennis does not have to leave Iola for lab work. And electronic medical records make it easier to coordinate lab and medical needs to help facilitate his care while at home.
Message boards and the rebranding transformation have already taken place in New London and are rolling out now in Weyauwega and Manawa too.
Riverside Medical Center opened in 1954, and affiliated with ThedaCare in 2006.
For more than 100 years, ThedaCare™ has been committed to finding a better way to deliver serious and complex healthcare to patients throughout Northeast Wisconsin. The organization serves over 200,000 patients annually and employs more than 6,800 healthcare professionals throughout the region. ThedaCare has seven hospitals located in Appleton, Neenah, Berlin, Waupaca, Shawano, New London and Wild Rose as well as 35 clinics in 14 counties. It is the first health care organization in Wisconsin to be a Mayo Clinic Care Network Member, giving our specialists the ability to consult with Mayo Clinic experts on a patient’s care. ThedaCare is a non-profit healthcare organization with Northeast Wisconsin’s only level II trauma center, comprehensive cancer treatment, stroke and cardiac programs as well as a foundation dedicated to community service. Construction of ThedaCare Regional Cancer Center in Appleton and ThedaCare Medical Center – Shawano is underway. For more information, visit www.thedacare.org or follow ThedaCare on FaceBook and Twitter.
