OECE BER 15 - 21,1982 THE CITIZE
From small beginnings-in a two-story frame home in Benton Har­
bor, circa 1904-the health care system in Southwestern Michigan
has developed and grown in step with you, the community it serves.
You have transformed it from a nine-bed, single-doctor hospital to
a 367 -bed medical center on two sites, with more than 114 physi­
cians and speciaUsts. And you ha e seen to it that the personal,
compassiona e quality of care is as alive today as it was in 1904
hen Dr. Henry Voorhees Tutton bought a home on Vineyard Street
to house the iU and care for them, introducing organized health care
to the community.
Your hospitals-Mercy and Memorial-have grown ith you,
ouched our Ii es at times of joy, crisis, hope and despair. You've
sough medical and emotional heaUng . hin our doors, looked to
us as a symbol of confidence in your . a . y as a person and as a
community.
N. the South estern Michigan Health Care Association, we under­
stand that your hospitals have been closely identified w· h the
de lopment, changes and rede lopment of South estern Michi­
gan. You've made us an integral part of the community-just as
re born of community need, also have developed, changed
and transformed to meet your changing needs.
The purpose eX this Community Report is to bring you up-to-date on
our deveIoprne and to re ith you our goals to serve you in
the future. Our confidence in yo .. Y is the basis of our cornrni -
to . y c , renovation and rene , to provide the ry best
of medical care and education to you, our community.
with mom and dad in the mother's hospital room, ith modified
"rooming-in' arrangements. Assume as much in-room care of your
newborn as you like! This way, mom and dad both become quickly
familiar with the" little one's sleeping feeding, crying and p y ioloqi­
cal habits ... and they take home not a little stranger, but a real
addition to the family.
cy
This f , an extensive cardiac surgery program was reinstated a
Mercy Hospital, strengthening the three-pronged heart care pro­
gram of diagnosis, treatmen and, soon rehabilitation.
To the patient in need of heart repair, this capabi . y in the Twin Cities
can be a literal life-saver: heart disease is still the na ion's leading
cause of death. The availability of diagnostic, open-heart surgery
and cardiac rehabilitation facili ies close to home eliminates the
delay of travel speeds the treatmen process and removes th dis­
tress of separation from 10 ed ones during treatment and reco ery
periods.
From the time your pregnancy is first confirmed, to the day you take
your newborn home, the fami -centered birthing philosophy at
emorial Hospital provides the suppor care, skill and faciliti s tha
enhance your total birth experience.
F amily-cen red birthing: . 's a philosophy tha e courages involve­
ment-of both parents as well as siblings and grandparents.
begins with expectant parents' pre-natal classes that advise on nutri­
tion exercise and emotional changes' describe the labor, delivery
and post-partal processes' and ans er the dozens of perennial new­
parent questions about baby care and safety. Special classes are also
offered for the "birth partner" who wishes to be present during a
scheduled Caesarean delivery. For siblings (grandparents are invited,
too there's "My Ne Baby" class, designed to help youngsters feel a
sense of il}volvement in the birth experi nce.
Throughout the birth experience, Memorial provides the latest in
procedures equipment and technology to ensure a safe and healthy
birth for bo h mother and baby. Ultrasound uses sound waves to
collect information about the baby's development and position in the
ornb: fetal monitors report the baby's heart rate during the
mother's labor period continuously monitoring the baby's condition
during this crucial time. Birthing beds allow the mother to deliver
her baby in a position that is comfortable, and remove the need for
transfer from the labor bed to the delivery table.
The Obstetrics staff at Memorial is by far this region's largest and
best qualified. ew birthing concep s-Lamaze, LeBoyer, with/
without medication-may be offered a the discretion of the attend­
ing obstetrician. Be sure to discuss your preference with your DB
early in your pregnancy.
An important part of the famity-centered birthing philosophy is the
bonding process," in which both parents provide immediate physi­
cal warmth and comfort to the newborn. This very special process
continues during the hospital stay. newborns may get acquai ed
·SOUT ESTE
. ItEAlTIt c
MERCY AND MEMORIAL HOSPITALS
BENTO HARBOR AND ST. JOSEPH
