Aurora Health Care
Encyclopedia
Aurora Health Care is a not-for-profit health care system
headquartered in Milwaukee
and serving eastern Wisconsin
. The system has 13 hospital
s, over 100 clinic
s, and more than 80 community pharmacies
. With 29,000 employees including 3,385 physicians, Aurora is one of Wisconsin's largest private-sector employers. Since its formation in 1984, Aurora has expanded by acquisition of independent community hospitals and construction of new hospitals.
The goal of the partnership of the three hospitals was to reduce costs, maintain a high level of care, and compete with the other hospitals in the Milwaukee metropolitan area.
Between 1992 and 1995, the health care system added five more hospitals:
Two more hospitals were brought into the Aurora system in 1995: the 78-year-old Lakeland Medical Center in Elkhorn
, owned by Walworth County, and Trinity Memorial Hospital in Cudahy, founded in 1958 and owned by Catholic Health Corp. Aurora acquired Lakeland Medical Center for about $16 million. In the deal, Aurora assumed the hospital's bond obligations and debt and agreed to contribute to a fund to cover the uninsured. In February 1996, Memorial Hospital of Burlington was the final hospital to join Aurora Health Care .
In 1998, Aurora built its first hospital, on the west side of Kenosha
, which opened in February 1999. That same year Aurora replaced Two Rivers Community Hospital with a new facility, which opened in June 2000.
Constrained by space at the 17 acres (68,796.6 m²) St. Luke's Medical Center campus, Aurora expanded upward by building a 12-story "heart tower" on top of the existing parking structure. The expansion has 270 beds and opened in 2004.
During the spring of 2002, the five-story Aurora Women's Pavilion was opened at West Allis Memorial Hospital.
On October 27, 2003, the health care system opened a new 84-bed hospital in Oshkosh
, which employs over 400 people, and competes with the 157-bed Mercy Medical Center.
.
After leading the health care system since its creation 22 years earlier, G. Edwin Howe announced his retirement as president and chief executive officer. Nick Turkal, M.D., a family practice physician and president of Aurora's metro Milwaukee region, was chosen as Howe's replacement, effective on January 1, 2007. Turkal has been employed by Aurora Health Care since 1987.
Aurora revealed plans in 2004 to construct a hospital in the Pabst Farms development located in the Town of Summit
a few hundred feet south of the proposed Oconomowoc site. It will be Aurora's first hospital in Waukesha County. In 2007, the Summit Town Board approved the new Aurora hospital, which is planned to have a capacity of 110 beds and to be completed in March 2010.
The new Summit home for Aurora Wilkinson Medical Clinic will open October 26, 2009 and will replace the current Aurora Wilkinson Medical Clinic, the Wilkinson Women's Center and the Aurora Vision Center, all currently in Oconomowoc. The Vince Lombardi Cancer Clinic will also move from its Oconomowoc location to the Summit campus and a new Aurora Pharmacy will open at the Summit facility.
The new Aurora Medical Center campus in the Town of Summit is at the southeast corner of Interstate 94 and Highway 67. The new Aurora Wilkinson Medical Clinic will be on the west side of the campus, and the Vince Lombardi Cancer Clinic is on the south side.
In concert with the purchase announcement, Aurora and Advanced Healthcare announced they would construct a new hospital in Grafton
, a northern suburb of Milwaukee, which opened in late 2010 and competes for patients in Ozaukee County with Columbia-St. Mary's Hospital Ozaukee. Health care industry experts estimated the total cost of purchasing Advanced Healthcare and constructing the Grafton hospital at $250 million.
Hospital network
A hospital network is a network or group of hospitals that work together to coordinate and deliver a broad spectrum of services to their community. A hospital system or health care system is 2 or more hospitals owned, sponsored, or contract managed by a central organization...
headquartered in Milwaukee
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
and serving eastern Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. The system has 13 hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
s, over 100 clinic
Clinic
A clinic is a health care facility that is primarily devoted to the care of outpatients...
s, and more than 80 community pharmacies
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
. With 29,000 employees including 3,385 physicians, Aurora is one of Wisconsin's largest private-sector employers. Since its formation in 1984, Aurora has expanded by acquisition of independent community hospitals and construction of new hospitals.
Formation (1984–1987)
In 1984, St. Luke's Medical Center, located on Milwaukee's south side, and Good Samaritan Medical Center, located on Milwaukee's near north side, formed an affiliation called St. Luke's Samaritan Health Care. This partnership was the first in the Milwaukee area of two formerly independent hospitals. Three years later, when Mount Sinai Medical Center merged with Good Samaritan Medical Center in 1987, the partnership changed its name to Aurora Health Care.The goal of the partnership of the three hospitals was to reduce costs, maintain a high level of care, and compete with the other hospitals in the Milwaukee metropolitan area.
Expansion through partnerships (1988–1997)
After forming a partnership with Aurora, the Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) of Milwaukee joined Aurora in 1988. The VNA, founded in 1907, is Wisconsin's largest provider of hospice care for children and adults.- Sheboygan Memorial Medical Center (1992)
- Milwaukee Psychiatric Hospital (1993)
- Hartford Memorial Hospital (1993)
- Two Rivers Community Hospital (1993)
- West Allis Memorial Hospital (1995)
Two more hospitals were brought into the Aurora system in 1995: the 78-year-old Lakeland Medical Center in Elkhorn
Elkhorn, Wisconsin
Elkhorn is a city in Walworth County, Wisconsin, United States. It is southwest of Milwaukee and northwest of Chicago. The population was 7,305 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Walworth County...
, owned by Walworth County, and Trinity Memorial Hospital in Cudahy, founded in 1958 and owned by Catholic Health Corp. Aurora acquired Lakeland Medical Center for about $16 million. In the deal, Aurora assumed the hospital's bond obligations and debt and agreed to contribute to a fund to cover the uninsured. In February 1996, Memorial Hospital of Burlington was the final hospital to join Aurora Health Care .
Expansion through construction(1998–2002)
Kenosha, Wisconsin
Kenosha is a city and the county seat of Kenosha County in the State of Wisconsin in United States. With a population of 99,218 as of May 2011, Kenosha is the fourth-largest city in Wisconsin. Kenosha is also the fourth-largest city on the western shore of Lake Michigan, following Chicago,...
, which opened in February 1999. That same year Aurora replaced Two Rivers Community Hospital with a new facility, which opened in June 2000.
Constrained by space at the 17 acres (68,796.6 m²) St. Luke's Medical Center campus, Aurora expanded upward by building a 12-story "heart tower" on top of the existing parking structure. The expansion has 270 beds and opened in 2004.
During the spring of 2002, the five-story Aurora Women's Pavilion was opened at West Allis Memorial Hospital.
On October 27, 2003, the health care system opened a new 84-bed hospital in Oshkosh
Oshkosh, Wisconsin
As of the census of 2000, there were 62,916 people, 24,082 households, and 13,654 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,662.2 people per square mile . There were 25,420 housing units at an average density of 1,075.6 per square mile...
, which employs over 400 people, and competes with the 157-bed Mercy Medical Center.
Recent activity
In March 2004, Aurora Health Care announced a new QuickCare service, the first of its kind in the Milwaukee area. The kiosks, known as Aurora QuickCare, are staffed by providers who handle basic, common medical issues for a flat rate. Aurora has opened 19 of these facilities including five in Wal-mart SupercentersWal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
.
After leading the health care system since its creation 22 years earlier, G. Edwin Howe announced his retirement as president and chief executive officer. Nick Turkal, M.D., a family practice physician and president of Aurora's metro Milwaukee region, was chosen as Howe's replacement, effective on January 1, 2007. Turkal has been employed by Aurora Health Care since 1987.
Summit Hospital
In March 2001, Aurora announced plans to build a new hospital in the Pabst Farms development that was in the jurisdiction of the city of Oconomowoc. The Oconomowoc Common Council rezoned the property in June 2001, preventing the development. Aurora sued Oconomowoc because it believed that the rezoning was done illegally.Aurora revealed plans in 2004 to construct a hospital in the Pabst Farms development located in the Town of Summit
Summit, Waukesha County, Wisconsin
Summit is a town in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 4,999 at the 2000 census. The unincorporated communities of Summit Centter and Summit Corners are located in the town.-History:...
a few hundred feet south of the proposed Oconomowoc site. It will be Aurora's first hospital in Waukesha County. In 2007, the Summit Town Board approved the new Aurora hospital, which is planned to have a capacity of 110 beds and to be completed in March 2010.
The new Summit home for Aurora Wilkinson Medical Clinic will open October 26, 2009 and will replace the current Aurora Wilkinson Medical Clinic, the Wilkinson Women's Center and the Aurora Vision Center, all currently in Oconomowoc. The Vince Lombardi Cancer Clinic will also move from its Oconomowoc location to the Summit campus and a new Aurora Pharmacy will open at the Summit facility.
The new Aurora Medical Center campus in the Town of Summit is at the southeast corner of Interstate 94 and Highway 67. The new Aurora Wilkinson Medical Clinic will be on the west side of the campus, and the Vince Lombardi Cancer Clinic is on the south side.
Advanced Healthcare purchase
In late 2006, Advanced Healthcare, the largest independent practice in southeastern Wisconsin that had not aligned with a health care system, began seeking a buyer or a partnership with a Milwaukee-area health care system. On July 31, 2007, Advanced Healthcare and Aurora Health Care announced that they would be joined "under a broad affiliation agreement." According to the agreement, the leadership of Advanced Healthcare would remain intact.In concert with the purchase announcement, Aurora and Advanced Healthcare announced they would construct a new hospital in Grafton
Grafton, Wisconsin
Grafton is a village in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 10,312 at the 2000 census. The village is adjacent to the Town of Grafton and the City of Cedarburg.-History:...
, a northern suburb of Milwaukee, which opened in late 2010 and competes for patients in Ozaukee County with Columbia-St. Mary's Hospital Ozaukee. Health care industry experts estimated the total cost of purchasing Advanced Healthcare and constructing the Grafton hospital at $250 million.
Hospitals
- Aurora BayCare Medical Center (Green BayGreen Bay, WisconsinGreen Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
) - Aurora Lakeland Medical Center (ElkhornElkhorn, WisconsinElkhorn is a city in Walworth County, Wisconsin, United States. It is southwest of Milwaukee and northwest of Chicago. The population was 7,305 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Walworth County...
) - Aurora Medical Center (GraftonGrafton, WisconsinGrafton is a village in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 10,312 at the 2000 census. The village is adjacent to the Town of Grafton and the City of Cedarburg.-History:...
) - Aurora Medical Center (HartfordHartford, WisconsinHartford is a city in Dodge and Washington Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 10,978. The city is growing at estimated rate of 10.66% annually, resulting in an estimated population of 13,900 by January 2009.-Tornado of 2006:The city was the...
) - Aurora Medical Center (KenoshaKenosha, WisconsinKenosha is a city and the county seat of Kenosha County in the State of Wisconsin in United States. With a population of 99,218 as of May 2011, Kenosha is the fourth-largest city in Wisconsin. Kenosha is also the fourth-largest city on the western shore of Lake Michigan, following Chicago,...
) - Aurora Medical Center (OshkoshOshkosh, WisconsinAs of the census of 2000, there were 62,916 people, 24,082 households, and 13,654 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,662.2 people per square mile . There were 25,420 housing units at an average density of 1,075.6 per square mile...
) - Aurora Medical Center (Two RiversTwo Rivers, WisconsinTwo Rivers is a city in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 11,712 at the 2010 census. It is the birthplace of the ice cream sundae...
) - Aurora Psychiatric Hospital (WauwatosaWauwatosa, WisconsinWauwatosa is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States, and was incorporated on May 27, 1897. As of the 2006 census estimate, the city's population was 44,798. Wauwatosa is located immediately west of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is a part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area...
) - Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center (MilwaukeeMilwaukee, WisconsinMilwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
) - Aurora Sinai Medical Center (MilwaukeeMilwaukee, WisconsinMilwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
) - Aurora Sheboygan Memorial Medical Center (SheboyganSheboygan, Wisconsin-Airport:Sheboygan is served by the Sheboygan County Memorial Airport, which is located several miles from the city.-Roads:Interstate 43 is the primary north-south transportation route into Sheboygan, and forms the west boundary of the city. U.S...
) - Aurora Memorial Hospital of Burlington (BurlingtonBurlington, WisconsinBurlington is a city in Racine and Walworth counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, with the majority of the city located in Racine County. The population was 10,421 at the 2009 census.-History:...
) - Aurora St. Luke's South Shore (CudahyCudahy, WisconsinCudahy is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 18,429 at the 2000 census.-History:Originally known as the Buckhorn Settlement, it was renamed in the late 1800s when Patrick Cudahy purchased 700 acres of land in the Town of Lake, two miles from the Milwaukee city...
) - Aurora West Allis Medical Center (West AllisWest Allis, WisconsinWest Allis is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. It is part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area. The population was 61,254 at the 2000 census. Its name derives from Edward P. Allis, who started the Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company in the 19th century. The site of the town was...
)