Finding new strength in unity. Four Cincinnati-area Mercy hospitals form an integrated regional system.

In early 1993 the leaders of the Sisters of Mercy in Cincinnati decided to form their four area hospitals into a new integrated regional system, The creation of this system--Mercy Regional Health System Greater Cincinnati--was made difficult by the fact that each of its four facilities had its own culture. Change, moreover, can be threatening to even the boldest. As a result of these factors, formation of the new system did not proceed as smoothly as we had planned. Things improved after we began to acquaint ourselves with the histories and cultures of the four hospitals. After that, we created a new regional leadership structure that enabled us to form administrators and employees into teams, breaking down the compartmentalization traditional in healthcare. We showed our employees that the system would open opportunities for them. We also created a new regional board of trustees to develop the system's strategic plan, manage its business infrastructure, and draw up its budget. We established a holistic health and wellness center to encourage focus on the connections between body, mind, and spirit. Through new corporate publications, newspaper advertisements, and lobby displays, we have explained our evolution both to our employees and the residents of the region. As a result, we are now in virtually all of greater Cincinnati's managed care plans.