Our Franciscan Heritage
For more than 70 years, Door County Medical Center (DCMC) has been the leader in health and wellness for Door and Kewaunee counties, achieving a culture of caring recognized not just by our close-knit peninsula community, but also by the many tourists and part-time residents who consider this place home. What many people do not know, however, is that this culture of caring is directly related to Door County Medical Center’s Franciscan Heritage.
According to the Catholic Health Association, Catholic hospitals account for approximately 13% of all hospitals in the United States and deliver care to one in six patients hospitalized in the United States each year. Wisconsin is one of five states where more than 40% of hospital beds are Catholic owned or affiliated.
DCMC partners with Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS) to carry forth Christ’s healing ministry in the acute care and long term setting.
What is Catholic Healthcare?
Catholic healthcare is rooted in and continues to make present in the world:
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The healing ministry of Jesus;
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The stories of the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis;
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The social teaching of the church.
Catholic healthcare is also:
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A ministry of the church;
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A sacrament or sign of Christ’s presence;
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A way of being in communion with the Church;
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A means of witnessing to the faith.
“As a Franciscan healthcare ministry, we take inspiration from the teachings of St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi as we serve others, particularly the most vulnerable in our society,” explains Mary Salm, Director of Spiritual Care and Mission Integration for HSHS Wisconsin and DCMC.
DCMC Mission & Values Team
Formed in 2000, the Mission and Values team is comprised of 11 members from a variety of areas in the hospital, including clergy and one non-hospital affiliated community member. “We have clergy represented to ensure our values and catholic identity are instilled in all that we do,” says team leader Renee Glesner RN, MSN.
“The primary purpose of the team is to stay consistent with the Mission, Vision, and Values of our Catholic identity and to help those in our community who are in need,” continues Glesner, “We work to strengthen our identity as a healing ministry of the Catholic Church across DCMC.”
The Mission and Values team is responsible for putting on a variety of annual events which fund projects and organizations that directly impact the lives of the most vulnerable in our community. Some of these events include:
“Our staff is highly engaged in each of these projects and to giving back to our community,” says Glesner. “We could not do it without their generosity.”
We are Catholic Healthcare
As provider and employer, DCMC brings together people of diverse faiths and backgrounds. “Our ministry is rooted in the belief that every person is a treasure, every life a sacred gift, every human being a unity of body, mind, and spirit,” says Salm.
“We answer Christ’s call to foster healing, act with compassion, and promote wellness for all persons and communities, with special attention to our neighbors who are poor, underserved, and most vulnerable.”
To make a contribution or to learn more about how DCMC supports our community through the healing ministry of Christ, please contact Renee Glesner at 920-746-3563.